


War of the hearts

by ValkyrieSigyn



Category: Clash of the Titans (2010)
Genre: Adult Language, Alternate Universe - Military, Ancient Greece, Angry Sex, Awkward Sexual Situations, Biting, Canon-Typical Violence, Cultural Differences, F/M, Graphic Description, NSFW, Pre-Clash AU, Sexual Humor, Sexual Tension, WIP, openminded speaking, there will be smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-08
Updated: 2019-04-11
Packaged: 2020-01-06 21:10:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 34,940
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18396422
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ValkyrieSigyn/pseuds/ValkyrieSigyn
Summary: A drought has driven the people of Cyclades on the search of food and a safe settlement. After several conflicts and being on the brink of war, a group of the best Cycladian soldiers are being to sent to Draco, in order to integrate them to the protection of Argos, while Cycladian settlers are given land to farm.And Draco meets Acantha, a woman of a kind he had never met before. And she teaches him quite a few lessons about the differences between Argos and Cyclades, and he will learn that she inspires him in many ways, ways he had forgotten or believed he wouldn't feel again.





	1. Cycladians in Argos

**Author's Note:**

  * For [IngvildSchage](https://archiveofourown.org/users/IngvildSchage/gifts).



Draco shifted his weight from one foot to another as his patience was growing short; they should be here any moment now, but yet he didn’t see any sign of them. Not too late, not yet, but he was tensed. His lieutenants seemed to grow restless too. Sometimes he wondered why he even bothered to be here, since serving as a Captain in the legion wasn’t a duty in the same way as doing the two years-service as a boy was. On the other hand, it was well paid, and the names were never alike. And it could be adventurous, especially in times of war.

Well, it was war that had led to this day; or maybe not war, but definitely a conflict. It all started with the bad summers, and especially the islands were badly stricken, worst of them the Cyclades. It didn’t take long before they started to flee from them, with a hope that those leaving the islands could settle somewhere else and by that giving those who remained a chance to make a living again. The problem was that the entire regions of Attica, Argolis and Laconia had suffered under these summers too, and it didn’t take long time before conflicts were going. In Laconia the Cycladians had little to say; even their fierce soldiers couldn’t stand against the soldiers of Sparta, and they were driven over to Argolis. In Attica there weren’t any lands to provide, and it had soon boiled down to a compromise between King Kepheus and the leaders of the Cycladians. They were allowed to stay in Argolis and make a living in certain areas, if they would send the 100 best soldiers they had to the Palace to serve under King Kepheus. Some would say that the Cycladians were forced to become hostages, others claimed that it was the least they could do when they were shown such mercy. The drought was merciless.

A brilliant trick, a way to force peace when nothing else seemed to work, and it was better to do it now before any real battles arose. Enough lives had been spent already, and the soldiers from Cyclades were known to be good. The reports from Laconia said that the Cycladian soldiers were tough enough to give them a real fight. So here Draco stood, captain of the legion and responsible for the training of new arrivals. It would be his task to integrate these new soldiers among his own, teach them the system and make sure there was no riots boiling.

He was tempted to sigh loud and clearly as the group of soldiers entered the gates; they were precisely on time, but it had been a torment to wait those minutes. But as they marched closer, he was in for a surprise; half of the soldiers were women, and even as he for a moment thought it was a joke, he soon saw it wasn’t. What he could see of their arms under the armour, was well-toned and strong muscles, and their legs were stronger and more defined than any woman’s legs he had seen before. If the armour wasn’t lying, they didn’t have much extra weight to carry except from muscles, and their facial expressions were tough. Some of them seemed tougher, wilder and stronger than the heaviest built of the male soldiers. And they all, male and female alike, had scars.

As they came closer, he could also see that they were way younger than he would have expected; all of them seemed to be between 20 and 25, and that was young for being an elite soldier. Here in Argos a soldier couldn’t expect that title before he was at least 25, in order to have the experience and possible chances for a title. Draco only got the title as a captain 4 years ago, when he was 28, and then he was said to climb the ranks quickly.

“Seems like we’re in for some challenges.” Solon said as he looked at Draco.

“We won’t be bored…” Draco said low.

“Hooold!” a strong voice called out, and the soldiers stopped 10 metres away from him. “Rest!” the same voice called again and the soldiers put their spears to the ground.

Draco couldn’t help but admire how much these soldiers seemed to pay attention to a named leader he couldn’t even spot; he had expected this person to be in the front row, as some twitchy protest to be sent here. He took a few steps forward and looked over them before he spoke. “Welcome to Argos, Cycladians! I am Draco, and I am your captain here. I will be your head of command. The men behind me are my lieutenants, and they will make sure my orders are followed the way I want them to be.” He looked over the group and was glad they at least seemed to listen to him, even when most of them looked rather cold or grim. Many of them had an expression as if they did not want to express a single thought or feeling. Well, at least he didn’t get the unsettling feeling of being handed some boys that hardly knew how to hold a sword and couldn’t see how serious a battle was. “We will now inspect you, in order to be sure that we are given what we were promised. After that, we will show you your quarters before you get a meal.”

Draco took the last step to the soldier standing on the right end of the first row, an apparently young woman, to start checking; one could never know if one was sent soldiers with injuries that would give them less value. The other lieutenants followed his example and was about to start, as Draco took the hand of the woman and lifted it in order to stretch her arm to see if there was injuries to her joints or shoulder. Before he knew it, she had kicked her knee straight up in his crotch and knocked him over with the shield she held on her other arm.

For a moment there was chaos as his lieutenants rushed over to him and he heard a moment of rustle with shields and spears, but it was all silenced as somebody else approached. “HOLD!” It was the same, strong voice as earlier, but as it spoke again, it was smoother. “Explain.”

Draco got up on his feet and straightened his back as he looked down at the owner of this voice. It was much smoother and brighter as she spoke instead of giving commands. He stayed away of the temptation of knocking down the female soldier who kicked and hit him moments ago as this other woman stood up straight and looked at him with a firm gaze. Her golden hair was braided as one long braid, but smaller braids were integrated into this and his impression of her was a mix of elegance and authority.

“I said it was an inspection. We check the soldiers for any wounds or injuries, to be sure we are given what was promised. To do that, we have to touch you.” Draco said low.  
“What about giving a heads up about what is to happen? At least it’s common where we are from.” The woman said and tilted her head a little, her green eyes focusing on his brown.

“You are in Argos now.” Draco said low.

“And here you just walk up to people and start touching and bending them without a warning? Well, that’s good to know. Now go ahead.”

“Who the hell are you?” Draco growled and stepped up close to her.

“I’m their captain. Acantha.” She stated shortly.

“Sorry, but I am the captain here, Acantha.” Draco said with a snarl. And how could she be a captain? She looked way younger than him, she could barely be a woman.

“You will have to prove it.” She said with a small smirk. “If not they will still follow my command.”

“We’ll deal with that later.” Draco said as he lifted a hand and pointed straight at her. “Tell me, how young are these soldiers?”

“Youngest is 19, oldest is 26.” She said and looked over her soldiers. “As for most soldiers from our region, they are trained since they can hold a weapon. They go into war at the age of 13.”

Draco wondered why he had heard so little about the Cycladesian military if they had the same training tactics as Sparta, but then again, Cyclades wasn’t considered an aggressive nation since they never had started a war. They rather defended themselves or helped allies by sending out marine troops. He started to wonder if their secret had been that they always kept the best soldiers at their islands to keep their homes safe when there were less soldiers left to defend them.

“How old are you then?” Draco asked and looked her up and down.

“22.” She said, straightening her back. “You then?”

“32.” He replied, lifting his eyebrows. “So, the rest about our cultural differences we can discuss later. Any more questions?”

“No thank you. Now, go ahead and to the inspection. It’s hot today and we’d rather get this done.” She said unaffected by his stance.

With his head boiling with suppressed anger, he continued on the inspection. He was glad he wasn’t the one to inspect Acantha, and as the inspection was done an hour later, he was tempted to kick the last soldier behind. The soldiers were shown to their quarters and not long after they were served supper. Draco thought the worst was done for today, but then Acantha showed up again.

“We have to show them who’s the captain.” She said and looked expectantly at him.

“Now?” Draco sighed.

“Yes, better now than having to argue with them tomorrow.” She said and studied her nails.

“Are you blackmailing me?” he hissed low to her, to not let others hear.

“No, I am simply bringing on what I have heard them whisper about. They will not follow someone who can’t beat me in a simple duel.” She said and looked up at him. “I am doing you a favour.”

“Going to let me win?” Draco rolled his eyes.

“Only if you deserve it.” She said and stretched her arms over her head as if she reached for the roof, and then shook her shoulders. “I do have some dignity.”

“And what if the scenario of your victory happens, what then?” he said low.

“Then we might be sending a new squad with our second best soldiers.” Acantha smiled sweetly. “Do not think that these men and women are happy about being used as money to save their families from starving to death.”

“Go and get your sword.” Draco growled and walked by her.

The woman that knocked down Draco jumped up from her seat and climbed to the table and immediately got the attention of her comrades. “Monomachía!” she yelled out and immediately the rest of the men and woman roared back and hit the tables with their cups. Draco knew for sure he would use the next opportunity during training or battle to knock that woman down.

“Sorry about my sister…” Acantha sighed as she witnessed the scene. “She was accepted into the legion 6 months ago and is still rather fresh…”

“I can see that.” Draco shot her an annoyed glare. “In 5 minutes.” He turned to leave the room but was stopped by Solon who came in a hurry.

“Draco, what the hell is going on?!” Solon hissed, startled by the sudden noise in the room.

“I’ll have to make an example. Go and get the other lieutenants, meet us at the training grounds in 5 minutes.” Draco muttered and walked through the door.

…

Draco waited patiently while the lieutenants gathered, and all the Cycladian soldiers and a growing crowd of his own, waiting for Acantha. He wondered why this bothered him, as he had been in countless duels before, and it was years since last time he lost one. Probably it was that he had been told he would be sent some soldiers and take them in as a part of his legion, and was not told that he would be met with this much resistance. A part of him considered himself naïve for thinking it wouldn’t be a problem, but on the other hand, it was a sealed deal and should be respected as such. When it came to it all, the unseen events bothered him, when he had expected only a slightly different day.

Acantha then entered the ground, wearing her battle gear, and her comrades roared in approval. Draco felt that he would have a tough battle ahead, as he had a feeling that these soldiers did not come here without setting an example of their pride and true belonging. Well, he could be fine with that, as long as they followed his commands. Now he just wanted to get this done.  
“So, when is the duel ended?” Acantha asked, a hand resting on the hilt of her sword.

“Till it reaches the point where one of us would be dead, if killing was the intention.” Draco said, still standing straight. “Or surrender.”

“Rules?” Acantha continued.

“None.” he said and tilted his head. “Fight as if it was a matter of life.”

“Sure you want that?” she said with a grin.

“That’s how I fight.” He lifted his brows.

“I think I can like you.” She smirked.

“See what happens first. Might be that you will hate me.” Draco said and unsheathed his sword.

“Takes more than a kick in my crotch to awake hate in me.” She smiled and unsheathed her own.

“I can do more than that.” Draco replied dryly. “Ready?”

“Indeed.”

Draco nodded to Solon, who stepped forward. “Battle positions!” he said clearly and Draco and Acantha steadied, both with left foot forward. “Ready?” none of them disagreed and Solon stepped away from them. “Fight!”

Already for several seconds before the signal, Draco had calculated his tactics. He could start slowly by not letting her near enough, give himself a chance to see her moves, and get to know them. On the other hand, that would soon force her to do the same, and the duel could take eternities. He could also lash straight at her, give her no chance to plan an attack and force her to defence instead of offence and tiring her. But that meant he would have to keep the attacking position, and that could prove to be a challenge. He could do the middle thing; lash at her, for then pulling back, studying her attacks before going at her again. In that way he could also display dominance. Or he could go for the first, before giving all he had and keep it that way. In Draco’s mind, that was the toughest about duels; picking the tactic.

As Solon gave them the signal, Acantha lashed straight at him, and it was then he decided to let her keep trying to get him. There was nothing to say about her courage, and she was almost bold as she plotted her next moves. It was tough enough to make sure to have enough distance, and she was going on and on again in a rapid speed, and Draco knew he would soon have to take action to not end up being the tired one.

He then answered her attack by going into one himself instead of defence, and his move startled her only just enough to change the roles. He now forced her backwards in a high speed, and it became hard for her to keep her footing while he kept going at her. She chose to use tricks in order to change the roles again; she hit his cheek with her elbow and for a moment, Draco had to stop thinking to not drop down at the spot, and in the next one he found himself in the defence position. Then she hooked her foot behind his knee and he felt his balance being out of place.

She was asking for it. Off with the gloves.

Instead of dropping down, he grabbed her by the back of her head and pulled her with him on the ground. There they ended up rolling around, trying to knock the sword out of each other’s hand, before she got up on her knees and got to gain some distance. Draco quickly followed and as she turned to put up her sword, Draco had already raised his as a shield as he rammed his body towards hers, and knocked her out of balance.

This time she was the quick thinker as she dropped down, and she lifted her foot to deliver a kick on her way down, and she hit; Draco saw stars and he felt the blood starting to drip, but he refused to let something as trivial as a bleeding nose stop him. As she crashed on the ground he kicked the sword out of her hand, but as he was about to place the sword against her throat, her foot had again hooked behind his knee, and now she kicked the sword out of his hand.

The first moment of real pain came now as she delivered a fist to one of the weak points of his armour; the area below his armpits. He prevented himself from falling, but she had already gotten up again and now she delivered the second kick to his crotch for the day. In pure anger, he grabbed her braid and saved himself enough time to get up again, and now he got a grip on both her arms. He thanked her for the kick by kneeing her at exactly the same spot for then throwing her to the ground as he reached for his sword.

She then tossed herself towards him from behind and got a grip around his neck, and he replied by swinging his sword around himself. He heard a hiss and several shouts and gasps from the crowd, and he knew he had somehow wounded her. She let go of him and instead sprinted towards her sword, and they both ended up taking battle positions again.

They stood there, short of breath and both with sweat glistening on their foreheads. He saw that his sword had hit her right overarm and the cut bled enough to tell him that it had gone all the way through the skin. She still held the sword in her hand, so he guessed it wasn’t a flesh wound.

Again, they leapt at each other and now both were giving all they had, and they both lost count of time. Draco’s victory was sealed as Acantha lost balance and dropped backwards, and he decided to follow her and placed his sword over her throat.

With the tip of his sword against her throat, he knew it was settled. She looked at him, and even as she dropped the sword in her hand, he could see anger flicker behind her eyes. He knew that if it was her decision, this trade of soldiers would have never happened. Yet, she smiled politely as he sheathed his sword and she got up to kneel for him.

A man in the crowd of Cycladesian soldiers lifted his sword and the others followed his example. “Draco!” he called out, and the others followed. It was a mighty sound, but he had a feeling that it would be more ecstatic if Acantha had won the duel. And he understood them, he wouldn’t be happy if he was in their shoes. Yet, he felt relief as they seemed to accept that Draco was their commander from now on.

Draco reached out his hand for Acantha, and she looked back up at him. Their eyes met, and he could see the moment of hesitation in her, before she smiled and took it so he could pull her up. “How is that cut?”

She looked at it, hissed a bit as she parted it to see how deep it was. “Gone through the skin, but it doesn’t look as if the tissue under his hurt. Quick fix.”

“Good.” Draco said and drew a deep breath; damn, this duel had been more of a workout than most training sessions lately. Was he getting older, his soldiers lazy, or had this duel been tougher than usual?

“Your nose then?” she asked and looked at him.

Draco touched it, but it seemed to be fine. “Not broken, just bleeding.”

“Glad to hear, a shame if that pretty nose would be broken.” Acantha smiled and walked by him. “Can we meet here in 10 minutes? If we’re done for today I prefer something more comfortable than this battle gear!”

Draco looked over his shoulder and nodded before he turned back and started to wipe the blood away.

“Here, take some water and clean it.” Solon said as he walked up to him with a bucket and a cloth. “Damn, that battle was close to a draw at some points. She was wild!”

“She was a hell.” Draco mumbled as he got the blood off. His beard was stained with it was well, so he was glad Solon had a bucket of water. “If her soldiers hold the same level, I am impressed.”

“Better hope so, they could bring some inspiration to our young ones.” Solon smiled. “I guess she want to talk about the practical issues, how things will work and such. Do you want to get some more comfortable clothes on?”

“Definitely. My tunic is soaking with sweat.” Draco mumbled.

…

He and Solon was returning to the grounds, and they had already discussed much between them on how to do things, after today’s events had shown them that the original plans probably wouldn’t work.  
“So you think it will be a clever idea to let her be my right hand in this?” Draco repeated.

“Yes. It will be a gesture to build trust. You will show them that you trust her and them enough to still let some of their old structure remain, with her as their head and leader, at the same time as she will be your channel of power.” Solon explained.

“Better hear if she agrees in it then…”

…

“So, I’ll still be the leader of my group?” Acantha asked and leant back in the chair.

“You will be like a lieutenant; by now, not officially and not have the rights as the other lieutenants here _yet_ , but if things work out, I can put in the words for you to be one of the Palace lieutenants if you prove yourself worthy of it.” Draco explained. “This means you will be my right hand in matters considering your group. I will still have the upper command, but you will keep your authority as their leader.”

Their eyes locked and he could see she was considering the positive and negative things about this. “If I were to actually become a lieutenant of this palace. What consequences would it have for me, considering my family?”

“What family do you have?” Solon asked.

“My parents, two brothers, three sisters, one of my sisters serving here with me, and seven nephews and nieces. Two of them orphaned as we left Cyclades.” She said and even as she hid it well, he could see a shadow of sorrow on her face. “My sister was widowed, left with two sons. As the lack of food became impossible to bear, my family left together with thousands of others. As you all know, at some islands almost half of the population left. We got caught in a storm, and at some point, my sister fell into the sea and drowned. She never learned to swim. So now my parents raise my nephews. And I am of course concerned, as I don’t know how their situation is.”

“You can ask for permission to leave for periods. For six months, you are allowed 15 days off service. Resting days at the Palace are not accounted in this.” Draco explained. “So you can go and see your family, they live a half day’s ride from here, maximum one.”

“Thank you.” Acantha smiled and bowed her head in gratitude.


	2. Slowly We Move Closer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> First clashes between the Argive soldiers and the Cycladians bring surprises to Draco and Solon. Acantha also plays a bit with Draco, but he get his revenge as Acantha has to take a challenge she usually avoids.

“Now, so what do you want from me, as your right hand? Apprentice? Shadow? Tail?” Acantha asked curiously as they walked down to the training grounds. The second day at the Palace had been spent mostly to introduce the Cycladians to law and order, and Draco was glad as nobody had protested against these, just asking curious questions. The third day was now the day where the fun began; with daily training sessions.

“Stick to lieutenant.” Draco mumbled.

“Tell me, do you ever smile?” she continued. “I’ve been here for three days now, and I haven’t seen a single smile on your face.”

“Is that of importance?” he said as he tried to ignore her.

“Just trying to get to know you…” she shrugged her shoulders. “That usually makes communication easier, you know.”

“My smiles aren’t relevant to that.” He muttered, not even looking at her. How was she mature enough to be a captain?! He was sure his ears would bleed by the end of the week!

Meanwhile, Acantha had to admit it; she liked this grump. He liked details, he wanted everything to be in a specific order, and in many ways a good master to learn from. She hoped that she could learn much from him, and that she could use it if she ever was to return to her kin and home. If not, making a living at the Palace didn’t sound too strange either, it was a huge place, and Argos was a city with much life, it seemed, so it was possible that the Cycladians here would thrive. And she did have entertainment in hanging around Draco and figuring out how much he could handle before he snapped.

“I heard that your soldiers call you Smiley. I guess that is ironic then?” she asked and Draco stopped in his tracks and looked at her.

“Don’t call me that.” He glared at her.

“It is indeed ironic then.” She concluded.

“Is this really important to you?” he said low.

“No, I just like grumps. You and your alike are quite amusing to be around, and when you a seldom time smile, it’s often the most beautiful thing in the world.” She shrugged her shoulders.

Draco just stared at her; she really had no filter for what was coming out of her mouth. One part of him thought of her being socially disabled, the other part of him wondered if she was checking up on him. A third but smaller part screamed the word psycho.

“You are more sensitive than I thought you to be.” Acantha said with a quirked brow and crossed arms.

“No, I am simply not used to someone saying what they are thinking without the words going go by the brain before they come out of their mouth…” Draco said low and turned to walk down the stairs.

“You better get used to it then.” She smiled warmly to him.

He rolled his eyes – either she didn’t get the insult he served her, or she enjoyed it. 

*

“So, how is he? The grump?” Acantha’s sister Iphigeneia, or usually called just Iphi, wondered as they were sharing their supper a week after their arrival.

“If he has any sense of humour, it’s sarcasm. He’s grumpy. Good at insults. He is the picture of authority in flesh. Could pop your head off with two fingers if you step on his toes. Dedicated. He likes details. And cats, there was a lost kitten in the stable today, and he made sure it made it back to its mum. He hates wool though, they had delivered the wrong tunic back from the laundry, and I have never seen anyone curse that much in just 10 minutes before. I thought he was going to kill the poor guy at the laundry.” Acantha said and took a careful spoonful of soup. “And he’s really into Xenophon. Don’t mention that name when he’s around, that is the only time he’s been saying more than 10 words in a sentence, I had to stop him.”

“Sounds like an interesting guy, indeed.” Soras, their cousin, chuckled.

“And he had a lot of ideas when it comes to training with horses.” Acantha said. “That can be interesting, I think that is our only weakness.”

“I think I like this guy.” Iphi grinned. “He’s quite easy on the eyes, you know.”

“Iphi, you are engaged. Your husband-to-be is establishing your new home down the street, and the shop where he can sell pottery. Don’t ruin that by going after our captain.” Acantha sighed.

“I was thinking of you.” Iphi grinned.

“You see…” Soras started. “Your sister is worried that you have been too busy with aiming for the ranks to get enough attention from men.”

“That is most kind of you, thank you.” Acantha chuckled. “And you think it will be a good idea to aim for the captain…”

“For one night it must be ok, don’t you think?” Iphi giggled.

“I think I take it easy, I have a bit more important things going on in my mind these days.” Acantha said with lifted eyebrows. Iphi shrugged her shoulders and Soras shook his head and chuckled. Silently Acantha agreed; a night with Draco didn’t sound too bad.

*

“You got to be joking.” Draco groaned and buried his face in his hands.

“There’s just one bathing area for soldiers, and our own are making hell about being invaded by 20 women at once.” Solon leant so heavily on the desk that he was almost nose to nose with Draco. “These Cycladians are making things a bit more uneasy than necessary.”

“Not to defend them, but HOW are 20 naked women a problem for our soldiers?” Draco asked carefully, as seeing Solon angry was a rare thing.

“They more or less stormed the baths, occupied every pool, made comments about the appearance of our soldiers, compared their equipment and… and started smacking the butts they could reach.” Solon’s voice was almost trembling with fury. “The youngest boy they whistled after was just 16!!”

“Are you saying that our soldiers were harassed?” Draco said calmly, not believing his ears. The usual problem had been his soldiers going a bit crazy after local women at the beach if the weather on their day off was good.

“YES!” Solon barked.

“I expected the opposite! I had almost thought that within a week we would have 15 rapes to deal with and sending at least 20 of our own soldiers to the dungeons!” Draco dropped back on his chair.

“Seems like we are risking 20 women in the dungeons if this keeps going, and that in less than a week.” Solon hissed.

“I need Acantha right now…” Draco sighed.

“Get her now, so we can throw these lionesses out of the bath!” Solon hissed.

“They’re still there?!”

“YES!!”

…

“We just tried to lift the mood…” One of the women said to Draco.

“You’re not lifting anyone’s mood by comparing cocks…” Draco sighed.

“For the one with the biggest, we did!” Another woman said to her defence.

“What about the 30 other men there?” Draco looked back at her.

“They need to grow some balls…” she sighed back.

“Pun intended!” several of the women laughed and giggled.

“We do not accept sexual harassment here.” Draco said strictly, Acantha nodded to agree with him, her face in serious folds as he spoke. She was embarrassed. “Let me also point out that the youngest affected was just 16 years old.”

“It’s not our fault that you let lamb meat walk into the lion’s den…” the first one said with a sour pout.

“When you are here, you have to follow our rules. I don’t care what you do back at Cyclades, you are in Argos now, and here you follow our rules.” Draco said with a strict voice. “So no more harassing of other soldiers, no butt smacking, no insulting, no cock comparing, no whistling, nothing.”

“Acantha?” the second women asked their captain.

“What he said. Just follow his orders, behave as decent persons and not like sexual predators.” Acantha said and gave them a strict look. “We have no idea for how long we’re going to be here, and we better not make trouble for ourselves, and to be decent is the least I expect of you no matter where we are.”

“So, no commenting on all the eyecandy here?”

“No commenting.” Acantha repeated.

“Fine, captains.” The first woman sighed.

Draco rolled his eyes as a soft hand was placed on his neck and a third woman appeared. “You seem so tensed. And I haven’t seen a smile on that beautiful face yet. I’m sure an hour in the pool with us could have changed that.”

“I am absolutely sure that would have changed _nothing_.” Draco hissed and got her hand off.

“Sure about that?” she said as the towel dropped to the floor and she entered the pool, where she looked back at him with a seducing smile.

“Absolutely.” Draco growled. “Is your memory this bad, or are you ignorant?”

“Either he’s playing on the other team, or he’s impotent.” She sighed and the other 2 women giggled. The rest of the group looked at them with surprise, wondering how Draco would react on that one.

“Solon! Ixas!” Draco barked and the two entered the room. “Get that one to the dungeons.”

“WHAT?!” she yelled and got up on her feet again.

“For refusing to follow orders and insulting the captain.” Draco hissed.

The woman got up from the pool again, got her towel on and sent Draco a look that could kill as she followed Solon and Ixas.

“And what will happen to her in the dungeons?” the first woman asked carefully.

“For insulting commanders, usually 5 days in the dungeons. And 15 whips for not following orders.” Draco said. “And you should consider yourself lucky for not being prosecuted for the harassment earlier today. I let it go, for this one time.”

“The same as we do at home, with other words.” Acantha said. “I wish the message could have been accepted without having to arrest one.”

“She had it coming.” A fourth woman from the group said, that had said nothing until now. “I apologise for the behaviour of my cousin.”

Draco nodded to her before he turned and left. Acantha threw a last look to her sisters in arms before she followed him. “I’m sorry about Thena, she can never keep her mouth shut. It’s not the first time she’s gotten herself into trouble for having a big mouth.”

“I guess that’s why she was sent here, somebody wanted some goddamn peace.” Draco growled.

“Well, she’s actually one of the best archers I have.” Acantha said and shrugged her shoulders.

“And she’s probably going to hate me now.” Draco said as he was out in fresh air again.

“Nah, her back is scarred after whips she’ll hardly notice 15. Sometimes I’ve been thinking she likes it.” Acantha said. “I’m more worried about turning my own soldiers against me for siding with you.”

“In that case, I name a new right hand from your group.” Draco said. “So you can get some time off from being hated.”

“You’ve been thinking about this?” she chuckled.

“I’ll keep going until everyone hate me or give up and do as I say.” He sighed.

“And don’t worry about Thena. She will probably continue till she’s got you to bed.” She teased and nudged her elbow to his side.

“Not the worst way to silence somebody’s mouth, but I’d rather not have to go that far. Besides, anger isn’t what makes me hard, if that was the case I wouldn’t need to bring a sword with me on the battlefields.”

“I hoped that would make you smile.”

“Is my smile so important to you?” Draco sighed.

“It would make your face even more beautiful.” Acantha grinned.

“What kind of women am I surrounded by… Nymphs?!” Draco groaned.

“Admit it, you like it.”

“I’m starting to feel harassed now.”

*

Draco walked up the halls to where Acantha and her soldiers lived, but before making it to the soldier’s quarters, he headed down a smaller hall on the right side and made it to her door. He had to leave a report for her, as he was needed elsewhere the rest of the day.

Draco knocked on the door, waiting for her response. “Acantha, I’m here to deliver the report before I must leave for the council. Can I come in?”

“Sure, I’m ready!”

Draco stepped inside and closed the door, but as he turned, he almost jumped back. “Acantha! This is not ready!”

“I’m ready for the report.” She said and lifted her eyebrows as she sat in the bathtub and washed her hair. Now as it was loose, Draco realized how long her hair was, and he was impressed. Still, he was mostly embarrassed.

“You’re not dressed!”

“I’m taking a bath. You know, a necessity for basic hygiene. It’s normal, just like eating, going to the toilet, brush the hair, …” she said and rinsed her hair with clean water.

Draco felt his cheeks turning hot as he could see her naked breasts; they weren’t big, but they had a wonderful shape, and the moist nipples were stiff against the air that was cooler than the water. It was hard to take his eyes away from them, as they were simply beautiful. “I don’t need to see you naked…” he said low and controlled, but his body protested against his own words. Right now he hated his body, but was grateful for the heavy leather skirts.

“Have you never seen your comrades naked?” Acantha asked curiously.

“No, YES, I have, but…!” Draco started, not knowing what to say.

“But what?”

“You’re a woman!” he sighed loudly.

“And the problem?” she said softly as she sensually twisted the sponge before starting to rub her arm gently, looking at him with a quirked brow.

Draco covered his face with his hands and groaned in frustration as he turned away. She had been here for just a bit more than a week, and she was already driving him crazy. He wondered how he would survive years with her around.

“The report?” she asked and he dared to look at her again, but immediately regretted.

She was stepping out of the tub, and the light was reflecting on her skin, highlighting the feminine curves of her body and the contours of every well-trained muscle. Her body looked as if it was crafted by the gods and he felt desperation grow as a certain part of him really wanted to show her how much it liked the sight, and he was worried that the heavy leather skirt over the tunic wouldn’t hide it for much longer. Still, he was angry at his body’s betrayal; it should be more than enough to tell himself that it was out of the question, yet he already now imagined how her body would look underneath him.

“Draco?” she asked again as she picked up the towel and started to dry her body.

“All soldiers finished the 3km run within the accepted time, and the archers have been out training in the field at hidden targets.” Draco said. “All is fine.”

“Good.” She smiled and then started to rub her hair dry before tying it up in the towel. “When will you be back?”

“Not before the day is over.” He said, trying to keep himself from biting his lip as he most of all felt like jumping at her so he could suck and bite on those nipples.

“So, what have you planned for me to do?” she asked back. Oh, she knew she was tormenting him by acting so calmly but asking questions that seemed to give him ideas.

‘Spread your legs wide for me so I can pound you like a stallion while I bite those perky nipples’ was his immediate thought, but he managed to take a deep breath and form a decent sentence instead. “The armoury needs a good cleaning; all uniforms. Give them something calm to do after a long day. The archers can prepare for the 3km run tomorrow by jogging slowly around the ground at least 4 times.”

“Jogging 2km slowly, with other words. I’ll get them going.” She smiled and got her breast holder on before she pulled the tunic over her head. Oh, she could see by the look on his face that she had gotten him going. She started to braid her hair as she walked up to him. “Anything else then, captain?”

“I think that was all.” He said and slowly walked backwards to the door. “Anything more you wonder about?”

“Yes. Why so embarrassed?” she smiled playfully to him. “For a moment I wondered if you had ever seen a naked woman before or not.”

“Of course I’ve seen naked women before!” Draco said and almost looked insulted.

“Good.” Acantha grinned and turned away.

Good? Draco started to suspect that she was up to something, and he decided to take his leave now.

*

“Among the things agreed on yesterday, is that we need to get you a horse.” Draco said to Acantha the next day as they sat to drink some cold water during the break at noon.

“A horse?” Acantha asked surprised.

“Yes, all the lieutenants here has their own horse. Brilliant when you have little time, especially in times of war and you have to move from one end of the camp to the other to join the strategic meetings, or when you need to move quickly between your flanks and such. We rarely ride the horses into battles, Argos currently don’t have a cavalry. I hope we will have one soon, if the breeding program succeeds and the King don’t waste the money we need to sustain it. Alas, you won’t ride into battle.”

“Good, because… Riding isn’t my strongest side.” she said and actually looked nervous.

“Is there a thing you Cycladesians doesn’t handle?” he looked surprised at her.

“Haha.” She rolled her eyes. “Military horses were the animals we needed the least as the hunger stroke. Therefore our army had very few horses, and I’ve hardly handled them.” She explained. “Last time I rode a horse is 4 years ago.”

“At time to change that, then!” Draco said and got up. “And we’re going there now.”

“What about the training?” she asked in surprise.

“Ixas and Solon will take our places. Come with me now.” He said and looked at her with a look urging her to follow. “They are waiting for us at the breeding grounds.”

“I didn’t know we had breeding grounds too.” She said as she got up.

“Not here at _the_ palace, but about 5 minutes away from here. Come on.”

Acantha followed Draco, and he noticed she fell nervous; she was more silent than normal, and it was almost creeping him out. He had expected all the worst jokes about riding something else than horses, as that would be her typical sense of humour. He also had a feeling there was something else behind all those jokes, but this was a new side of her. It was clear that this was outside her comfort zone, and he could see her focusing to keep her proud stature up.

As they made it to the stables, she decided to walk right behind him instead of beside him, as if she hoped they wouldn’t notice her at all.

“Good day, captain!” a man greeted Draco and walked up to him and they patted each other on the shoulder, it seemed like they were old friends, and for the first time, Acantha could see a smile on his face. That brought her out of her nervous state as she savoured the moment. “So, you’re here for a new stallion, I heard?”

“Our new lieutenant needs one, yes.” Draco said and laid a hand on Acantha’s back and firmly pushed her forwards. “Acantha, this is Myron, our horse-master. Any issues regarding the horses, you direct to him.”

“Pleasure to meet you, lieutenant.” Myron smiled and bowed his head to her, and Acantha nodded back. “So, any preferences?”

“What do you have?” Acantha said curiously, but Draco guessed it was to hide how insecure she was around horses. He fought to not smile by the thought.

“Mostly we have young stallions; you see, we train the horses here. The stallions are between 3 and 6 years, all trained and ready to get to know their new master. We also have some older stallions that are waiting for new masters, either because the old master suffered a violent death in battle or wanted a younger and more fiery stallion. And we have many colours, and a variety of tempers, in order to be sure we have a stallion that matches the lieutenants’ and captains’ taste.” Myron explained. 

Acantha looked at Myron with a thoughtful face; it was clear he took great pride in the horses. It was then Draco leant closer to her and whispered lowly. “You better be honest, if not you’ll get a living hell.”

She glared at him, and it was a look that could kill. Then she turned to Myron again. “Horses are not my strongest side, so I think a calm stallion would be better for me. Or one with a… not so strong personality.”

Myron put up a thoughtful pout before he turned. “Follow me, I have a few in mind!”

Draco gave Acantha an encouraging nod, but she just silently formed the words ‘I’m going to kill you one day’ with her lips. As she walked ahead of him, he grinned. Oh, this was amusing. His revenge after the bath tub incidence yesterday.

Myron had led them around a building and came to an area with several paddocks where stallions relaxed in the shadow. “So, the first one I thought of, was this one. 5 years old, a calm nature, and a gentle giant. Good leg build, so he will do the toughest rides without problems!” he pointed at a black stallion and made a whistling sound to catch his attention. The stallion was truly a beautiful sight, and as he walked calmly towards them, Acantha had a good feeling and as she patted his mule, he seemed genuinely interested.

“The next one I was thinking of, is this fellow here.” Myron showed her a few paddocks down to a grey stallion. “8 years old, experienced and done with all those youngling pranks. Not as tall, but one of the quickest we have, good stamina.” The grey stallion so far ignored them, even as Myron tried to lure him in. “And a bit ignorant at times…”

Myron took her down to yet another stallion, a brown with a curious face who came trotting to them as they approached. “He’s 6 years old, a playful but loyal friend, but not fiery. Very good gait, comfortable to ride!” The stallion seemed almost too enthusiastic for Acantha’s taste.

“Do I have to pick one now, or…?” Acantha asked carefully.

“No, you’ll have to ride them first!” Myron smiled. “Only then you’ll know the chemistry!”

“Oh, good.” She smiled nervously and Myron went to find two stable boys to help him prepare the stallions. Acantha turned to Draco and hissed. “You’re going to get me killed today!”

“No, that would be a shame.” He said and shrugged his shoulders. “It was enough with a duel to gain your soldier’s attention.”

…

Draco was standing by the fence and watched as Myron introduced Acantha to the black stallion. So far it seemed good, and soon she was riding calmly around the ground, before she carefully tried to trot. By her extremely focused face to judge, she was not comfortable and really did her best to remember how she did this. Draco had to admit it, she was cute when she focused.

Though, it was not meant to be her and the black stallion; he noticed her insecurity, and soon started to test her, and turned out to be quite a handful. As Myron went for the next stallion, Acantha leaned against the fence and sighed. “I thought I was going to die as he started to prance…”

“You had a good grip on his mane, and I’m sure your knees almost squeezed him. He would have died before you did.” Draco said to ensure her that she was not near to get killed.

“Funny…”

As Myron arrived with the grey stallion, she was in for opposite. The stallion hardly moved, and when he moved, it was slow. Acantha quickly found that she was not interested in a stallion she had to kick around the camps.

Myron then came with the third stallion, the brown one, and as she expected, he was way too enthusiastic. As she barely touched his sides, he started to move, and Draco had a great time seeing how she didn’t understand why he moved or sped up.

“You touch his sides with your heels!” he called out. “Pull the reins and try again!”

“I prefer to just sit here.”

“It’s not a chair.”

“Can I get a stuffed one?”

“I doubt that.”

…

“Dammit, do I have to pick one of these three?” Acantha sighed as she leant against the fence and watched the three stallions grass together.

“Well, you could always try other ones, but they might be like a firework.”

“Bloody horses. Dangerous at both the front and back, and dangerous in the middle as well. Bloody killers.” Acantha growled and buried her hands in her hair, looking desperately at the stallions.

“They’re not that bad, once you get your own horse to attend to, you’ll get a great companion.”

“Bah, I can’t be a master in everything I do, I have to be realistic and…”

Draco faded out as he spotted a horse in the corner of his eye; a buckskin coloured stallion was grassing on the field beside Acantha’s three candidates, and it was something very familiar with it. He narrowed his eyes, and then he saw the tiny, white spot on the mule. It certainly was Xerxes!

“Give me a moment…” Draco said low as he interrupted Acantha’s rant about getting killed and eaten by stallions, and walked over to the stallion. He made a clicking sound with his tongue, and the stallion raised his head; as it recognized him, it whined a bright and quick tone and trotted over to him. “Hey there, old friend!” Draco smiled as the stallion stopped before him and softly breathed on his face as to welcome him and Draco patted his neck. “Looks like you’re doing good!”

“Found your old fellow, I see!” Myron smiled to Draco as he walked up to him.

“How can I forget the first stallion I had here?” Draco smiled and scratched Xerxes’ neck. “How he’s been doing after Mykos died? It’s six months ago now.”

“Oh he wasn’t very happy, but he forgot about it as he was placed at the breeding station this summer.” Myron laughed.

“I can guess that.” Draco smiled. “Does he have a rider now?”

“I was thinking about letting Mykos replacer try him, they’re much of the same kind.”

“Let Acantha try him. This stallion has the cool head I think she needs.” Draco suggested.

“You think so?” Myron lifted his eyebrows. “He certainly has a meaning about things.”

“But if you listen to his meaning, he often gives in afterwards. He just wants respect.”

“If you insist!”

…

“Another one?” Acantha sighed.

“First stallion I had, he’s 10 years by now, at his best age. I asked for a new one as I was upgraded to captain, and Mykos took over him. Unfortunately, he died in a battle six months ago, and now Xerxes looks for a new rider.” Draco explained. “And I think you two will get well along.”

Just then Myron arrived with the stallion, and Acantha lifted her eyebrows. “Well, he is beautiful.”

“He is. Now, go and try.”

Acantha sighed and climbed up. Xerxes was already listening to her with both his ears turned back to her, and as she carefully told him to walk, he started. All the time he waited for her signal, and as she asked him to trot, he immediately picked up. She tried a few manoeuvres, and he did them without hesitating.

“Try to gallop!” Draco called out, and Acantha sent him a scared look. “Just do it, he won’t throw you off!”

Acantha bit her lip and commanded the horse to go quicker, and he did. But as an opposite to the others, his gallop was calm and controlled, and she noticed how he listened to her. He made her relax, and she felt better about him than the others.

As she slowed him down, she saw that Myron had put up a small hurdle for them to jump over. “Are you serious?”

“Yes.” Myron said with a huge smile. “It’s clear you have the chemistry. Challenge each other a bit now and get the rank settled. You are the boss!”

She sighed and steered the stallion around, despite him shaking his head as to demonstrate. She then told him to gallop towards it, and as she approached the hurdle, she gave Xerxes the signal to jump, but instead, he refused and she had to stand straight in the saddle to not fall over his neck.

“And now, let him check out the hurdle.” Draco said. “He didn’t get to check it out, that’s why he refused.”

Acantha let Xerxes look at the hurdle and smell it, then she turned him around and tried again. This time he elegantly flew over it and landed softly on the other side, and Acantha was left with a feeling she hadn’t felt in ages. She felt safe in the saddle.

“I think we found your stallion.” Myron smiled and clapped his hands. “Come along, and we’ll do the formal stuff now.” If Acantha had turned around to see, she had seen Draco steal a carrot from a tray and give it to his old friend, whispering something to him with a proud smile.

…

They headed back to the Palace, and Acantha let a long breath out. “Toughest two hours since I came here…” she sighed and rubbed her face.

“I think you did well.” Draco said and looked at her with a face as if he couldn’t see the stress about this.

“Well, it’s done. Now I should just go here at least three times a week to get to know Xerxes better.” She said and raised her brows in a thoughtful look. “A good thing I can come and go as I want to.”

“I go up here every other evening. It’s good to get away from the crowded Palace and clear the head. Sometimes I even takes my stallion out for longer rides.”

“It must be fun to feel so safe around horses.” Acantha said with a hopeful smile.

“You’ll get there too, don’t worry.” Draco said and patted her shoulder.

Acantha couldn’t help it, but this calmer and advising side of Draco was one she could really grow to like. There was a lot to like about him, actually. Even when he got her to ride big, scary, killer horses.


	3. Two Worlds Meeting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For Draco, it gets tougher to hold back. And Acantha gets more and more eager.

Acantha had a feeling that Draco enjoyed tormenting her and her soldiers as she was pulling the mill stone up the slopes above Argos. She couldn’t believe that the lieutenants and captains of this city put their soldiers through so much training that most of all was a test of strength, and not abilities. She wondered how pulling a mill stone, weighing 50kg, up a hill, over a distance of 1km, proved anything of her abilities as a soldier.

Back home they trained tactics, movement and reflexes. One didn’t have to be a beef to be a good soldier, but the result of training this since the children were 5 years, was that most of the military elite had a figure that was rather impressing without needing exercises aiming for the strength, that was up to each. She could never recall any ridiculous tests like this one. Closest she had been to that, was lifting weights in order to strengthen arms and back to keep up during long days or being able to help wounded comrades. She would definitely not save a comrade by tying his feet and attach the rope to a leather belt around her waist. A comrade wasn’t a bag.

She kept going and tried to ignore it as she heard a horse trotting up the hill behind her. “You’re doing well.” Draco said as he slowed down when he reached her. “I don’t understand why you would doubt your soldiers’ ability to do this task.”

“I never doubted them.” She said low and focused on her footing. “I said I couldn’t understand the meaning behind this completely pointless task.”

“Stamina, core muscles and legs.” he pointed out. 

“Which you get through all the other things you do here.” She looked at him. “Is this a sadistic joy you have?”

“One of my own soldiers would have failed the mental part of this test with that attitude.” Draco said as he looked down at her.

“Gods, there’s a mental part too?” she sighed and stopped for a moment to look down the hill where half of the soldiers worked their way up. Then she looked ahead at the other half. “Then you might as well fail the entire group. I’ve heard nothing else than fair points on how meaningless this is.” She said and looked at him with a smile.

Draco stopped the horse and looked at her. “Might be that you need to do this a couple of times before you start appreciating it.”

“More times? How many times can one torment oneself so much?” Acantha chuckled.

“I do this once a week.” Draco said and then pointed at a mountain a few kilometres to the west, with steeper sides than this one. “Up there together with Ixas, Solon and Belo.”

“You are a bunch of sadomasochistic bastards…” she groaned as she saw that the mountain was steeper than this hill as well, and she started to pull. “Does pain do something with you?”

“Stronger psyche.” Draco confirmed and kicked his horse to a steady trot. Acantha watched the ash grey stallion trot easily up the hills as if Draco was light as a feather, and she wondered if he put his horse to do the same. Evil bastard.

*

“ATTACK!!”

The single word being called out in the night got everyone in the camp up within moments. Acantha had a feeling that exactly this would be happening; what was a training week in the woods if there wasn’t a surprise attack in the middle of the night? Even as she quickly got her armour strapped on and left her tent, she felt calm as she arranged her group to face the soldiers that appeared out of the bushy growth in the forest.

It was a quick battle, and only 13 of her own soldiers “died”, and she had to say that she was pleased with the result. A few wounds to tend to, but they were used to that; among her kin, they used to say that a week in the military without a scar to show, was a lousy week.

She turned as Draco walked up to her, and she noticed that his nose was bleeding and looked as if it had gotten a real beating. “Who gave you that?” she asked curiously.

“Ixas. I bet he was paying back for the bleeding nose I gave him last month.” Draco mumbled and checked if it still bled. “Dammit, is it broken?”

“Here, let me check.” She said, low and calm, as she knew very well that most people was uncomfortable with this. She had broken her nose a couple of times herself, and it wasn’t until the third time she stopped protesting. Draco sat down on a rock, looking slightly annoyed, but he accepted it.

“You know how to do this, right?” he said low as she checked it.

“I’ve done it so many times I’ve lost the count.” She said and located the fracture. “But it’s not that bad, seems to have snapped in a straight line. The good thing is, as the fracture heals, it’s the strongest point. Break your nose a few times, and it will be invincible!”

“You are optimistic- AUCH!!”

“Done!” Acantha smiled, glad that she got to snap it back by surprise – the result always got better that way.

“Give me a head up next time!” Draco groaned and snapped the cloth out of her fingers as she handed it to him so he could stop the bleeding from his nose.

“So you get the chance to pull away as I snap it back? Nope.” She smiled and patted his shoulder. “Now, why did you come to see me? I guess it wasn’t just for the broken nose.”

“No, it wasn’t…” he sighed and laid his head back. “I simply came to say that I am pleased with your soldiers, they are almost too effective.”

“Too effective, actually!” she said with a surprised frown. “How can they be too effective?”

“Five of the ‘dead’ soldiers attacking are actually unconscious. Two of your soldiers who got a little… carried away.” He said and sent her a strict glare.

“Oh… Are they badly hurt?”

“No, I don’t think so. But I suspect they won’t remember much of the night.”

“Auch…” she sighed. “But except from that, you are pleased?” she asked, and Draco shot her an annoyed glare. “That, and your nose?”

“I dare say so, yes.” He confirmed.

…

“Sorry about your nose.” Ixas said and tried to hide a smile as they were up on their feet the next day. “It really wasn’t my intention.”

“I hear you say it…” Draco rolled his eyes. “Now, where is that damn bigmouthed lieutenant?” he sighed as they had looked through every tent at the camp.

“Acantha?” a man said and straightened up from the pot where he was making the breakfast. “She went for a bath together with 10-15 others of us.”

“Brilliant.” Draco muttered, having a feeling that she again was playing with him. He then nodded to the soldier and thanked him.

“Speaking of Acantha and bathing – has her soldiers occupied the baths again since that infamous day?” Ixas asked curiously.

“No, thankfully not.” Draco growled.

“I heard you imprisoned one of them after suggesting you were impotent.” Ixas grinned.

“Sometimes you are a worse pain in the ass than both Acantha and Solon together.” Draco rolled his eyes. “What would you have done then?”

“Suggested her to find out how wrong she was.” Ixas said and Draco stared at him as if he was an alien. “She’s quite attractive, admit it!”

“She insulted me, and I’m the captain.” Draco sighed. “And there you also have why you won’t be asked to step up in the ranks in a couple of years; using your position to get laid is not very honourable.”

“Think of it as a way to turn the insult into a compliment!”

“You are worse than a teenager…”

“Oh come on, admit it- oh. That’s a sight.” Ixas stopped in the middle of the sentence and almost walked into Draco as they reached the beach.

“You can say that…” Draco sighed. In front of them, almost 30 soldiers were sunbathing naked on the beach, while 10 others were playing in the sea. It was a good blend of men and women, and even as Draco had seen many funny things with his own soldiers, he had never seen them sunbathing like this while using straws to drink the water from their water hoses, as they were adding some sort of class.

“Why are there no bats up?” Ixas asked Draco curiously. 

“I think that if this is the standard, seeing a naked body is as normal as breathing air. We better do as them; get used to it.” Draco said low.

“So you’re admitting it, this do things to you too? You have basic instincts, which means you actually are a human?” Ixas joked.

“Watch your tongue now.” Draco said low. “Can you see Acantha here?”

“Is she the one over there, playing some sort of game in the sand with that guy?” Ixas suggested. “I can’t see properly, the hair is tied up in a towel.”

“I think it is her, but it’s hard to see from the distance.” Draco sighed and started to walk towards her, and Ixas followed.

As they walked the distance, Draco got a feeling that he was the one sticking out from the crowd as he was fully dressed. A few of the soldiers commented this, and a woman even stopped on her way to the sea as she saw them, wondering when the captain would ever let his clothes drop. Draco did his best to ignore her.

“Draco, Ixas, here to take a bath?” Acantha asked as the two men made it over to her.

Ixas was about to say something, but Draco gave him a glare before he spoke himself. “I actually wanted to talk to you about the road home today.”

“Sure, sit down.” Acantha said, and the other soldier nodded to her before he took his leave.

“Could we take it… somewhere else?” Draco said low with raised brows.

“I might be throwing a torch into a barn here, but I am sure that if all my soldiers had no tits but cocks, it would be no problem to take the talk here.” Acantha said with a quirked brow. “You better get used to this; yes, we will do our best to adapt ourselves to your traditions, but we can’t change our sexes. Let soldiers be soldiers.”

Draco remained silent for a moment before he sighed and sat down. Ixas stood there for a moment, before he sat down as well, throwing a last look over his shoulders, a move that made Draco roll his   
eyes, and it didn’t slip pass Acantha as well. “And it’s not very respectful to stare as much either, Ixas.”

He quickly turned around and looked at her with a nervous glance. “Sorry.”

“I guess you don’t stare at your own comrades like that either?” she said calmly but with a strict tone. “If you’re going to enjoy the view, be at least more decent. Draco, back to the journey home.” She said far lighter and removed the towel, and Draco was relieved that her hair now covered her breasts. Those beautiful, tempting breasts that he had discreetly enjoyed.

“As Ixas came here tonight with his legion to surprise us, he found that sometime during our stay here, a landslide had damaged the road. Soldiers by foot can make it over, but not with the horses and wagons. We will have to take a detour, and that will cost us 3 hours more, as we have to follow the river further south to a crossing point.” Draco said and drew out the map in the sand.

“And you suggest?” she inquired.

“There’s no point in splitting the legion when we’re only heading home to the Palace, unless the foot soldiers take some of the packing, so the horses can travel faster.” Ixas suggested. “The foot soldiers might use a bit more than 2 hours to get back with more packing, maybe closer to 3, but those with the horses and wagons won’t have to use as much as 5 hours. With lighter wagons, they can allow the horses to trot parts of the road home, and they might use barely 4 hours.”

“I suggest we do as Ixas say.” Acantha said calmly. “We should get up and started by the end of midday then, instead of noon.”

“It seems like the best option.” Draco confirmed. “Get up and inform those down here at the beach, then I go and tell the others at the camp.”

“Good.” She smiled and got up, brushing the sand off her feet and buttocks with the towel.

As she walked away, Ixas leant in to Draco. “I can get used to this.”

“Why am I not surprised…”

*

“Now you’ve been following our training program for three weeks, so I hope that now we can start on the battle program, so you can be an integral part of our army if needed.” Draco explained as he unfolded several parchments over the table.

“So, tactics then?” Acantha asked.

“Yes. I plan on bringing in 100 of our soldiers, and then we mix the group and train for the different positions in battle.” Draco said and started to point out different things in the map. For a long while, Acantha paid attention and it was interesting to learn about Argos’ system of defence. It was intricate, and even as she was very interested in the beginning, it was so much that her focus started to drift away after some time.

She started to notice the shape of Draco’s hands as his fingers pointed out different things. Man, those hands were divine, scarred but beautifully shaped, yet strong and masculine. His voice was deep and rough, yet there was something very appealing with it. It had been so since day one. She started to wonder if he was married or not, and did he have any children? A part of her hoped that the answer to both questions was no, as she started to lean closer to him, slowly. She had tried to give him many hints of interest, as she definitely had grown _very_ interested in him during these three weeks. He seemed too focused to notice, and she enjoyed being so close to him that she could feel his warmth radiate from his body. Her bare upper arm touched his, and his skin was smooth and warm against hers. She could feel the heat pool up between her legs, and she realized it was way too long since she had any attention from males.

As he continued explaining, she wondered if he simply didn’t notice, if he ignored her, or if he silently enjoyed it. All options seemed just as logical, and she dared to see what happened if she leant a bit closer, so her hip touched his…

Nothing.

She decided to be bold and put her hand on his. If he didn’t react then, he had to be stupid. But she got a reaction from him. “-and this tactic is… What are you doing?”

“Showing you my tactics for getting you in bed.” She smiled sweetly.

“Now, let me just make a few things clear…” Draco said low and slowly.

“By the gods, are you married?” She sighed as he seemed almost afraid by her move.

“No, I’m definitely not married.” He sighed and hid the upper half of his face with his hand.

“Good, then we’re equal!” she smiled and leant a bit back over the table. “You are quite handsome, you know. And a decent man, with many good qualities. A shame to waste that.”

Draco looked at her through a glimpse between his fingers, before he closed his eyes again and sighed. “Acantha, I have no idea how you do it back on your islands, but here… The man often does the first approach. Then the woman accepts it or not. This goes for both… single adventures, and marriage.”

“How boring. My sisters in kin are the first to take the step, and we can be quite ongoing. The men like it, and they often play hard to get, and it’s rare they take the first initiative. No wonder we go on as hard as we do.” She shrugged her shoulders.

“I… I have noticed.” Draco sighed.

“So just make things clear now; are you interested or not? I promise to let you be if you’re not interested.” Acantha said straight ahead.

“You’re putting me in a corner now!” Draco said and took down his hand, looking at her with a desperate face.

“Then walk out of it.” She quirked a brow to him.

Draco sighed, not knowing what to say. “Yes, you are beautiful and attractive. You have many wonderful qualities. But I like to take my time about things, three weeks isn’t enough for me. I have grown picky by time, I’m not jumping at those who are willing anymore. I like to consider the opportunities to make sure I do something I will enjoy and won’t regret.”

“See, it wasn’t that hard to walk out of the corner!” she smiled and gently stroked his cheek. “And I don’t have to be that ongoing, you know where you got me.”

Draco sighed and looked at her with raised eyebrows, clearly not knowing what to say, until he managed to come up with some lines, hoping to save him from the complete embarrassment. “Remember, I am your commander. I am more scared of the consequences on that side of the relation, than any of the others. That, and the fact that I’m 10 years older than you.” He sighed. “I was 10 years when you were born, it feels odd!”

“I killed my first man when I was 10.” She said and shifted her weight a little. Draco’s look revealed that he enjoyed the sight, how the tunic fit her perfectly, the leather belt on her hip just showing how perfectly curved they were. “To me, age doesn’t mean a thing.”

“Well, good to know that you are not creeped out by that.” Draco sighed and leant down so his arms rested on the table.

“And why should it creep out you?” Acantha asked curiously.

“Good point.” He said and bit his lip. “I guess I’m just afraid to jump into something with too much difference. One need differences to work together, but one should also have something in common.”

“If you were to find we weren’t too different, what would you do?” she said and again she let her hand trace over his.

“I would probably want to get to know you even better.” He said low. “Even if it was for just the fun.”

“I am pretty sure we aren’t too different. And where we are different, we complete each other.” She said and looked at his hand as her index finger lightly slid over his. “Haven’t you noticed?”

“I have.” He said lowly, looking her in her eyes.

“Then why so hesitant? It could be great.” she smiled.

“Because I didn’t know how it would impact our professional relation.” He said and turned his hand the other way around, and Acantha started to caress the inside of it. The soft tingle was comfortable, and it made him relax.

“There’s only one way to find out; take the chance.” She smiled. “I am willing to find out.”

“And are you willing to pay the price if it doesn’t work?” he asked back.

“As you said earlier; replace me.” She grinned.

“You have thought about this.” He inquired, looking at her with a frown.

“Of course I have, when I see a man that has all my checkpoints!” Acantha said. “I actually am a bit picky about who I take to bed, thank you!”

“That is a good thing.” Draco said and lifted his brows. “I am too.”

She moved a bit closer to him and caressed his cheek again, and he seemed to relax into her touch now; it surprised her how much doubt held him back, but then again, he was a calculating man, and he didn’t take risks before the chances of success were greater than the chances of failure. She let her hand slide down along his neck, and now he closed his eyes, but they didn’t seem tensed now.

“And one doesn’t have to do it all at once, either.” She whispered in his ear.

“How can it be that someone so young can be so much wiser than me?” he asked with a hint of humour.

“I have lived my life and tasted it. The sweet and the bitter. I have learned my lessons.” She smiled, their faces so close that they gently touched each other.

“You want another lesson then?” he whispered, his beard tickling her cheek.

“I don’t mind them.” She smiled and tilted her a little to the side so their noses touched.

For a brief moment, they looked each other in each other’s eyes, before they slid closed again as their lips met. Carefully at first, before she opened her mouth to welcome his tongue. First it was slow and curious, but as she laid her hand on his shoulder and moved closer, he was encouraged and it soon turned exploring and much rougher. Their tongues danced a battle of dominance and his hand slid down to her waist, hips and then butt, holding her closer to him. It didn’t take long before he slid his hand under the skirt of her tunic and started to knead her butt, and as she laid her leg over his butt he took the hint and moved so he was standing between her legs as she laid down over the table.

Her other hand moved down to his crotch, and it pleased her to feel how hard he was for her. He broke the kiss and started to explore her neck, licking and tasting her skin, biting her lightly here and there. She started to wonder if he was losing control, and if so, how far would he go before he could stop himself? As he cupped her breast, she moaned out her approval, not minding at all.

But it was then he pulled back from her, his breath heaving by the arousal. Now as he wasn’t wearing the full uniform, but the simple tunic only, it was easy to see how aroused he was by this encounter. “Sorry…” he said low and rubbed his face with both his palms and taking a deep breath.

Acantha smiled and sat up before she slid down from the table to stand on her feet again. “Take your time.” She said softly and kissed his cheek.

She took a step back to leave, but Draco pulled her closer again. “This was the first lesson. Let’s see what the others teach us.” He said low and kissed her cheek before placing a soft kiss on her lips.

“Can’t wait.” She smiled and left the room. Now, maybe there was something in it, after all his hesitation.


	4. Rage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A clash between the soldiers results in a different way to handle the anger between Draco and Acantha.

It surprised Acantha that Draco wasn’t being more distant than usual after their little intimate contact the other day; she had expected him to avoid her like the plague, but he didn’t. Pretty much everything seemed like before. They trained their soldiers, now blended with a group of his own, and they watched the progress for each day; the different groups taught from each other, and soon they had a legion of 200 soldiers that could be considered among one of the best in Argos.

Two weeks after the kiss, Acantha decided to spend some time with her new stallion. It was still strange for her to go up there every second day to ride a horse, but slowly her body and mind picked up the almost forgotten art. And she had to admit, Xerxes was an opinionated stallion who lived up to his name, but he was not impossible to overcome, or too wild. In one way, she saw much of Draco in the horse, how he would calculate the strength in his opinions and how much to put in them before giving in. And she knew how to handle Draco, she could handle a stallion as well. At the same time, he came to accept her more and more as his leader, and Acantha decided that today she wanted to take him outside of the stable and the safe riding grounds, and out.

It had been a long day, and the last two weeks had been spent learning the soldiers to know the routines for defence of Argos, and with so many of them, it took some time, even with other soldiers helping them, but there had been a large improvement over the last days. Acantha rode over the hill and put the city behind her, and she took a moment just to admire the view, somewhat different to what it was back home. At home, the landscape was flat and rolling, with cliffs by the sea, and small forests here and there. Here it was dominated by flat valleys surrounded by mountains, covered with bushes and pine trees. In the farmlands, she could also see olive gardens, and the view was pleasant. Yet, it made her miss home.

After riding for half an hour, she took a turn and headed for the shores, and after some time she reached a long and sandy beach. It reached kilometres ahead, and she decided to let Xerxes stretch his legs, and kicked him into a full gallop. The wind in her hair made her forget about the sorrows, the duties and the frustration. The frustration of being a hostage, no matter how much authority that was given, the future of her kin depended on how well she and her soldiers behaved. It all was gone as Xerxes almost flew across the beach.

As they reached the end, she stopped him and for a moment she looked over her shoulder, wondering if she should take the same road back or not. But as the stallion eagerly kicked the sand with his front hoof, she took out the band that held her braid and let her hair loose, before she let him gallop back.

…

As she returned to the Palace, the relaxed feeling from the ride was vanished within an instant as Solon came up to her with such a hurry that he was almost running. “What is it Solon?”

“We need you… in the hearing room!” Solon gasped, and took the lead back again. “I’ve been looking for you!”

“What is going on?” Acantha inquired, starting to get an unsettling feeling; the hearing room? That was only used when laws had been broken, and she got seriously worried in just moments.

“Clash between our soldiers…” Solon sighed as he was getting his breath back. “Some of our soldiers made a debate about how much it said about your men, the fact that half of your army is made by women. And some of yours answered of course, and it enlightened the debate that led to a fight between some prominent figures, when some of yours claimed that our women were sissies.”

“Oh gods…” Acantha sighed. “How serious was this?”

“10 of yours and 20 of ours was involved.” Solon sighed. “Ixas got a blue eye and a broken lip as he went in to stop the fight.”

“Really?!” Acantha couldn’t believe it; had the temper really been that bad?

“Yeah, but they stopped fighting when they realised who they had knocked down.” Solon muttered. “Here, Draco is waiting for you.”

“Are you coming with?” Acantha asked hopefully.

“Well, I could…” he said and followed her in.

“Finally! I’ve had a tough time keeping the mouth of these closed!” Draco barked as Acantha came in. On several benches, Argive and Cycladesian soldiers sat, most of them with bruises on their faces and arms, some of them with a bleeding nose or lip.

“I’m sorry I was training the horse you found for me.” Acantha said slightly annoyed. “Now, explain what’s going on.”

So, it turned out that during the supper, some of the Argive soldiers had started to make fun of the Cycladian; women, in the army? It was a joke, according to the Argive soldiers. What honour was it for the men to go in the army when they followed a woman’s command? And what honour was it in it for women, who then sacrificed the opportunity to birth many children, as their best years were wasted in the army, acting like men? Not to mention their husbands, how much honour they lost in picking a less productive woman, and one that could just as well stand above him in rank. It was questioned if the men were about as tough as mice.

Of course, this had awoken the temper among the Cycladesian soldiers, who meant that the Argive women weren’t better than children if they couldn’t serve the army and didn’t know how to handle a weapon. And how could a man here be proud of a woman who couldn’t defend their home, was it to make themselves look better? To the Cycladians, it was an honour to follow a commander who had shown great success in the military before, and the sex between this person’s legs didn’t matter to them. And a woman who had served their army well, to keep their lands safe and fertile, was just as good as a woman birthing many children. A man was free to pick his woman regardless of her age and strength.

The Argive soldiers had been insulted when their women were compared to children and started shouting about the Cycladesian women insulted their own femininity when walking naked among men in the bathroom. No, it was no problem for the men to see their naked bodies, but how could any man want to marry a woman who walked naked among their own comrades? Wasn’t it a disgrace to display your body that way? Not to mention the men’s dignity; it had been questioned how it could be that men would let themselves be ruled by women, and if they really were men when they looked up to their female leaders as much as they did towards the male leaders. It was even questioned who was in control in the bedroom, or if the roles were turned upside down in the homes as well. They also meant it was embarrassing that the men were weak enough to be beaten by a woman in a duel, deaf to the fact that sometimes the quick and smaller one is better than the strong.

As it was pointed out that the Cycladians were a bit more liberal, an Argive soldier pulled out the shame stamp, and hell was loose. The Cycladians defended their honour and the Argive soldiers attacked, and it all boiled down to a good old-fashioned fist fight.

“So, what is your saying to this?” Draco asked Acantha, clearly outraged.

“Give those soldiers ridiculing my soldiers some time in the dungeons!” Acantha said, furious at what she heard. “That is both shaming somebody’s honour, sexual harassment and a general case of being an insulting weak-back!”

“And it goes both ways, since somebody replied!” Draco pointed out. “When things like these occur, I want people to keep their senses, and come straight to us before it gets out of hands like this! I didn’t get to know about this before Ixas stumbled in with a broken lip as he had tried to stop it!”

“So, because they took words against them, they’re suddenly the criminals?” Acantha asked to see if she got him right.

“By comparing our women with children, they insulted every Argive men’s wives, daughters, sisters and mothers.” Draco hissed as he rested his weight on his hands on the table.

“You, as a captain, should not take this personal, as _I_ am not taking it personal that your soldiers obviously think of me as a shemale, unproductive and a whore, and that my men are honourless for following me.” Acantha said, getting annoyed with Draco’s approach to this. “I dare say that the stamp they put on me is a bit worse than what they put on your mother.”

“So you think it’s okay to start beating on them for being big-mouthed?” Draco asked and shot her a glare angrier than any she had seen before.

“When did I say it was okay to beat someone? And who attacked first?” Acantha asked and opened her arms as to highlight her question. “And can we please turn this to the root of problem?”

“Soldiers not fetching their commanders when somebody act like children?” Draco asked.

“No, that some of your soldiers obviously have a problem with women in my legion. Admit it, you’ve had problems accepting me as well! You looked horrified as you saw my legion on the beach, but it is not _our_ problem that Argives aren’t used to seeing the body of the opposite gender in other places than their private homes or brothels! We never asked to be sent here, your King did!” Acantha hissed and walked up to him. “We try to adapt, we try to build bridges. It isn’t even our choice to be here in the army with you, and this is what we get? Insults, attacks on our integrity, mocking, for then being criminalised when we react? Yes, I agree that somebody should have the wits to run up, but none of your soldiers did neither.”

Draco now straightened up, walked over to her and looked down on her. “If your kin’s solution is to lift their firsts when insulted, we have a problem. We don’t accept that here.”

“Fine, then I do as you and makes their insults personal. Do you plan to do something directed towards those who started this in the first place? You can’t have a whore as lieutenant.” Acantha spat, getting fairly annoyed now.

“Of course I do, but I also intend to do something about those picking up their fists.” Draco hissed.

“Fine, as long as those asshats get what they deserve. They have insulted a lieutenant, just as much as my men and women insulted a captain.” Acantha snarled. “And somebody needs to talk with those soldiers about what is okay to say and not.”

“We will do.” Draco growled before he turned to Solon. “Solon! All these, 5 days in the dungeons, 30 strikes with the whip each! Then we’ll put together a speech to get this problem out of the world!”

“Come on, lads and lasses, you heard what the captain said.” Solon said and guards guided out the soldiers. Ixas took his leave to get his lip checked. Solon stopped in the door and looked at the captain and the lieutenant. “And the speech?”

“We’ll take a look on that.” Draco growled and nodded towards Acantha, who sent him a look that could kill.

Solon noticed, he just frowned at them and nodded. “Yeah, I can agree. Good luck.”

A minute of strangling silence followed, where both tried to figure out the worst concealed insult, but found the creativity blocked with fury. Finally, Draco burst and marched against the door.

“And where are you going?” Acantha asked as she followed him.

“To my own office and get some wine to calm my bloody nerves so I don’t strangle your entire legion in their sleep!” Draco roared back.

“Oh what a great start on the speech! Threaten with strangling, eh?” Acantha mocked as she followed him. “You really do make a splendid captain!”

Draco stopped in his tracks, turned and glared at her. “Then why the hell did you lie so flat after me?” he growled. “Some kind of a sneaky way to get immunity? Or did my soldiers have a point?”

“Ah, so you agree with them?” Acantha chuckled, not believing how much of a hypocrite he could be. “As you got your hands on me, it was easy to feel how much you enjoyed it. So don’t come here and play innocent.”

At this point, Draco was so furious that he simply grabbed her hand, turned her around and locked her hands behind her back in an iron grip; Acantha knew it wasn’t even worth fighting against it, and let him lead her to his office, where he almost threw her in before he slammed the door shut and locked it. “Who the fuck do you think you are?” he growled and walked up to her with a finger pointed straight at her.

“I think I am Acantha of Paros, captain of the fifth legion of Cyclades.” She growled back, adrenalin pumping through her at this point. “And what do you think of yourself?”

“I am thinking that I am your captain, and you are my lieutenant.” Draco hissed. “And I think you do not know your place when you ridicule me in front of my own soldiers.”

“You manage to do that very fine yourself, master captain.” Acantha spat. “If pointing out justice is to ridicule, you better check your morals.”

“You better watch that tongue of yours!” Draco hissed and stepped up closer.

“And you better think of how you treat my soldiers; keep going like this, and they will all turn their backs against you and riot! It won’t longer matter that I am your right arm, as justice is the fundament of their moral, not authorities!” Acantha hissed and pushed him back but followed him. “Yes, just exchange them with the second best soldiers! And they will know what happened, and history repeats itself! Suddenly you’re left with farmer boys! Then the great captain Draco will shine, eh?!”

“So you suggest they behave like they want to, and cause the downfall of this Palace? Is that what you wanted all the way?” Draco hissed back, slapping her hand away.

“No, we wanted to _live_. To see our children grow up, not starve to death. We paid the price. But that doesn’t mean that I and my soldiers enjoy the life being coins in a political deal.” She growled and lost her temper. She smacked his face and stood on her toes to be on his height. “Wake up! Remember how it is to feel like a human!”

Now Draco snapped and pushed her against the wall. “I know too well how it is to feel!” he hissed through gritted teeth and met Acantha’s furious stare. “If you had any idea of how many feelings that has burned in me the past weeks, you’d be left as ashes!”

“At least you haven’t been forced to live under a different reign’s command. You are free, free to live your life when the day is over, free to go where you want, free to visit who you feel like, free to love who you want, free to do everything where we are limited.” Acantha hissed.

“What does that matter when I burn inside every day when I leave the training grounds?” Draco hissed. “I have tried to drown it, but it won’t. It still burns me.”

“I can feel it.” Acantha said with a sad sigh as she lifted her eyebrows. “How ironic isn’t it, to be caught with the glows that sparks the fire burning in you, while so outraged at my very being.”

In the next moment, their lips crashed together in an angry yet desperate kiss, and they both started to undo the straps that held their armours in place. They quickly got them off and now they could feel each other’s bodies pressed close together with only the texture of their tunics between them. Draco broke the kiss and started to bite and suck on her neck instead; there was no doubt in how angry they both were at each other, but at the same time couldn’t control the other feelings. They were caught in a landslide of emotions, and they had no way to escape it other than to follow it down. Acantha had slipped her hand under his tunic and up along his back before she drew them down again, leaving marks on his skin.

“You damned…!” Draco hissed at the sensation and grabbed her buttocks before he lifted her up, and she slung her legs around his butt. He got their skirts out of the way and aggressively entered her, earning a yelp from her at the sudden intruding, but she welcomed his moves and he continued. 

The pace built up and it was guaranteed that both of them would have marks by tomorrow, but they couldn’t care less about bruised knees and backs in the moment. Now it was her leaving bite marks on him, and the pain was driving him crazy, he loved the sting. She pulled his braids, arousing him even more and he thrusted mercilessly hard into her, encouraged by her desperate moans.

However, fucking against the wall would be doomed to be quick affair and neither of them was interested in that when they both had so much steam to get rid of. He pulled out of her and leaded her to a room behind the work desk; not the biggest but the bed would be more than good enough for this. As he closed the door she walked up to him and started to pull up his tunic, and he helped her getting it off.

Finally Acantha got to see his body without any garments or armour, and it was a sight for gods. It only fuelled the desperate lust that burned between her legs and spread out to every single nerve in her very being. To finally let her hands slide over that muscular chest and feel his chest hairs tickle her was a relief beyond what she had imagined. As he pulled her tunic to get it off, she was quick to help him, and as they again kissed each other hungrily, their naked bodies were pressed together, the hairs on his belly and chest tickling her, and his rock hard cock pressed between them.

As they made it to the bed, it was a battle for domination; both fought to lead it, at the same time as they desperately wanted to just continue fucking. Acantha found herself torn between her own pride and lust as Draco won the fight and entered her as he got her under him, ramming straight to the bottom; she cursed him for winning, but he felt so heavenly good inside her and she wished it could never end, and in the frustration she took a hold of his braids and pulled them. Draco growled as he buried his face in the pillow behind her head and answered the braid tugging by ramming harder into her, and she screamed out his name in both pain and pleasure.

“I can’t believe it…” Draco growled as he changed the angle of his thrusts, going even deeper.

“That we made it here and fucking each other senseless?” Acantha hissed as she tightened the grip around his hips to make sure he would continue in this angle. “Gods, you’re huge!”

“How can it be…” he moaned and buried his face in her hair. “That you’re so wet for me when you despise me and my kin so much?”

“Because you’re not like them.” She hissed back. “You see me, not just a slut in men’s clothing.”

Draco was almost angry with her for being so damn right; that was the reason he had longed for her, because she was unlike any woman he had met before, and it was driving him crazy. He grabbed the back of her head and pulled so she exposed her vulnerable neck, slowed down the pace to catch his breath as he looked down on her face. Her skin was moist by sweat, just like his was now, her eyes clouded by pleasure and anger in a wonderful mix. “Since the beginning, I saw a strong woman. Not a slut.” He said low and kissed her neck before biting the skin; Acantha reacted by arching her back against him, her breasts against his chest as she hissed in in both pain and lust. “I am insulted by my own soldiers by what they said, when I enjoy you as much as I do.” He said in a trembling low voice and kissed the area he had bitten, well-aware of the bruised mark that would appear by tomorrow.

“So let them know it; let them know exactly how much we enjoy each other.” Acantha hissed as she laid her hand on his neck. “Leave your marks on me, and I’ll leave mine on you.”

“Come for me, and I will.” Draco growled and picked up the pace again. He let go of her hair and let the hand slide down between her legs to play with her swollen and sensitive clit. His lips moved further south until they met the nipples he had seen before and been so tempted by. He hummed in approval as he took one of those sweet and beautiful nipples in his mouth and started to suck on it. He could feel her begin to tense under him, he added more pressure on the clit as he thrusted harder and faster into her and moved over to the other breast. As she finally came under him, he bit down on the nipple and Acantha moaned loudly as she held him tight and close to her, riding herself on his shaft through her climax and met his slow and hard thrusts. He let her breasts go and looked down on her as the climax faded away, and her face painted with pleasure was one of the most beautiful things he had seen.

“I hope this isn’t the only time I get to see your face like that.” He growled in her ear before he bit her earlobe.

“Does that mean I should encourage my soldiers to use fists instead of wits?” She breathed, regaining her ability to speak after the climax.

“Is that the only way to get here?” he said low and kissed her hungrily.

“Depends on how you treat me.” She said and let her nails scratch his chest, making sure that he would be marked as well. Draco hissed by the burning sensation, but let her do so. “Treat me well, and I can become your company at lonely nights, and I will seek only your attention, if company is what you desire. I will explore and experiment, find exactly what pleases us the most. You could make me the happiest woman in Argos, maybe all of Greece as well, and I could make you the happiest man – we would do well together. If you don’t seek company, that is fine too, as long as you respect me and my soldiers. Then we’re both happy.” She smiled and sat up against him, but the seducing smile turned into a threatening glare as she continued. “Treat me like you did today, and I will become an enemy that will make you long for the burning you’ve suffered from since I came here, and I won’t stop before you’re begging for my mercy and freely let us go, and if you don’t, only ashes will be left of you. If you repeat what happened or even think about it, I will make you wish that you never met me. You chose your fate.”

In that moment, Draco realised that her pride was the most frightful weapon Acantha had, and she wasn’t scared of using it either. It wasn’t just a worded thing, a straw to hold on to for the Cycladians in Argos so they didn’t lose all of their home as they arrived in a new world, and he now realised how far across the line his own Argive soldiers had gone. He couldn’t find words to say anything and it frustrated him, so instead he crashed his lips against hers, and yet again they found each other in a desperate, almost angry kiss.

Draco then pulled out of her and flipped her around before he pulled her hips up so he could enter her from behind. He pounded into her, letting out his anger and frustration with each thrust. Acantha moved with him, and he noticed a change in their affair; before he had only felt his own anger, but now he could sense hers as well; where he before had only seen and felt her anger, it now felt like a part of him. And she felt the exactly same change, and she didn’t understand why it turned her more on, this blend of rage and lust confused her.

Draco grabbed her hips firmly and rammed harder into her, almost losing himself to it all, but it was too good to let it go yet. As if she wanted to push him to the edge, she swayed her back and he sunk into her to the hilt of his shaft; he couldn’t believe that he could go any deeper into her, but she had just proven him wrong. She pushed herself against him and he leant down to taste the skin on her back, his beard tickling her now very sensitive skin before he bit down.

“Are you a biter?” Acantha hissed as she laid her chest flat down on the bed, enjoying his bites more than she was willing to admit.

“I want to make sure everyone knows I was here.” Draco teased and licked the sore skin.

“So you think you can mark me and leave unmarked?” she hissed and before he got the chance to react, she had already turned the tables. With a quick and swift move, she had gotten him off from her and pushed him down on the bed.

Oh, how she loved to see him lying there under her, with a raging hard cock and surprise painted on his face; it was worth every moment of being dominated. She straddled his lap and now it was her turn to bury her hands in his hair at the back of his head and force him to expose his neck. He hesitated at first, too comfortable with being the dominant one, but surrendered as her grip tightened. “There you go. It isn’t that hard to give in.” she said low and he sent her a look that revealed that he was beginning to like her holding the power.

“You’ve never accepted that I won the duel…?” Draco asked, tempted to fight back the control.

“Did I ever had a choice?” she asked sweetly, but he could sense the bitterness in it. “So don’t think you’ll be going out of this on top.” She whispered in his ear before she kissed his neck.  
The touch of her lips on his skin was heavenly and he surrendered to her will, his hands starting to explore her figure. As she bit his neck he gasped for air and his palms grabbed her buttocks firmly, yet she seemed to like his brutal grasp as she bit down a bit more before she soothed the skin with careful kisses.

Acantha then guided his member to her entrance and sank down on him, taking in all his length. She found a rhythm with deep, rolling moves and in a pace that matched the anger that threatened with erupting again if he said one wrong word. She leant back so that he filled her completely and supported her weight with one hand, while she played with herself with the other. To Draco, the sight was divine, to see a woman with such confidence and will, so free to enjoy herself and him as she pleased. A part of him loved being the tool for her pleasure, while his pride still wanted him to take control.  
But as she changed her pace her rhythm, his pride silenced as he dropped his head back on the pillow, moaning out his pleasure as her walls tightened around his member. She had a control of her inner muscles she had kept hidden from him so far, and now as she used it to take full control, he wished nothing else than to let her keep it.

Her breath turned shallower and quicker as she changed her seating on him, riding him with more intensity now. “Sit up.” She said low, almost growling. Draco did as she said, and in the next moment she pulled him towards her chest. “And suck on them.”

He didn’t hesitate to play with those lovely breasts again, and he hadn’t been sucking and biting on them for long as she came again, a beautiful howl of pleasure that intensified as he quickly changed his weight on the bed so he could thrust against her. Her climax felt so fantastic for him, he couldn’t believe he was in bed with somebody so intense in the act. Even as it was anger, fury and rage that brought them here, he wanted to thank the gods for sharing this night with her.

“Acantha, I’m close…” he whispered as he felt his own climax build up.

“How close?” she said as she pushed him back again.

“Moments.” He breathed as she got off him.

Then she gripped hard around his base and he could forget all about the climax that had built up. “Acantha, you-“

She silenced him by placing a hand over his mouth before she leant close to him and smirked. “You really think I would make it easy for you?”

“This… this…” he tried but couldn’t form a complete sentence.

Acantha’s hand slid down from his shaft to his balls, where she cupped them and rubbed them carefully. “So heavy… I’ll let you get rid of the pressure soon. But not now.” She kissed his neck as she continued the play with his balls, and he had to admit that it felt good, what she did, and he closed his eyes. She continued to leave a trail of kisses out on his shoulder and over his chest, and then she gave him another bite.

He didn’t protest to it, he only hissed at the sensation and let her do it; by now he had realised how much control she had, and the only control he had over her, was the one she had given him. And honestly; he didn’t mind, which surprised him completely. He was an alpha, and many things about her and her kin today had provoked him beyond measure, but it was still nothing compared to her, and her rage had a will to dominate. He enjoyed the next bite, which she placed on his upper arm.

He felt slightly nervous as she kissed her way down his belly and aimed for his manhood, but the red curtains of anger had started to pull away as he surrendered completely to the pleasure alone. As she took his length in her mouth and started to suck him off, he didn’t even bother trying to win back the control he once had in this game. He had given her the will, he didn’t no longer see a point in fighting her, and as his climax built up again, she now took his member in her hand instead, a last display of power as she decided exactly when he was allowed to come.

After playing with him, she gave him the last few, firm strokes he needed to come. He moaned loudly as the climax hit him and his sperm rained over his own belly. With slow, careful yet firm pumps, she followed him through his climax, enjoying how pleasure was painted all over his face.

Draco gasped for air as his climax faded away, and he had to close his eyes for a few moments as his head was twirling around. He had no idea how much time they had spent on this, but he knew he was exhausted and would probably fall asleep quickly – he didn’t even know if he bothered to go back to his quarters tonight and just sleep here instead.

As he opened his eyes, Acantha still sat across his lap, but was looking at her fingers; two of them with his sticky sperm on them. He sighed, annoyed that he had made such a mess, but as she heard it, she just threw him a look before she licked one finger clean. “Problem?” she asked with curiosity as he just stared at her with a surprised face.

“No, just that most women I’ve met don’t even want to touch it.” he said with a slight surprise.

“Sissies.” She sighed and leaned over him. “There’s nothing wrong the taste of you. Mostly salty, a bit bitter.”

Draco couldn’t hold back a chuckle, and for the first time, she saw a heartily smile on his face. “You really are a firework.”

“I enjoy the different sides of life.” She smiled. “Ever tasted yourself?”

“No… Why should I?” he asked back.

“Why should you not?” she tilted her head. “I don’t mind the taste of myself. Plus, I’ve never felt bad for my partners, since I know I taste wonderful.”

“Firework? You’re more like a volcano…” Draco said and sat up so he rested his weight on his elbows. “Then give me a try, so I don’t feel bad for you.”

Acantha smiled and held forth the other finger that was covered with sperm. Draco looked at it, before he looked her in her eyes as he took her fingers in his mouth. It was a strange feeling, but he understood what she had said as he sucked it clean. He dared to add some playful moves with his tongue, and he could see she enjoyed it.

“Am I optimistic if I hope to feel your tongue teasing my clit like that?” she whispered as he let go of her finger.

“You’re quite realistic.” Draco said with a small smile.

“Besides… I thought you said anger didn’t get your cock hard.” Acantha tilted her head and smiled. “You were very hard tonight.”

“It seems like you get it hard no matter how angry I am.” Draco chuckled.

“Just remember what I told you…” she said low as her hand slid across his chest, over the biting marks she had left on him and up his neck before she reached his chin, where she grabbed his beard and tilted his head up. “Damn, have anybody ever told you how magnificent your neck is?”

“Not the neck, that was new to me.” Draco grinned. “Okay, good news for you…”

“Good news?” She quirked a brow and sat back again.

“I’ll let your soldiers go with only 15 whips. I’ll let my own take the original sentence of 5 days in the dungeons and 30 whips.” he sighed. “I… I see that you’re in a situation where one feel more vulnerable than normal and will be quicker to take defence, and my own soldiers should know and understand that.”

“Get up and send out the order then.” she said and rolled over on the bed, looking at him with a playful smile.

“And you will be there when I say it?” Draco asked as he lifted an eyebrow.

“I will savour the moment for the rest of my life…” she whispered in his ear.

“Can’t take that away from you…”


	5. Changes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So, has Draco understood and learned his lesson from what happened in last chapter?

Acantha kept telling herself that her soldiers were lucky to get away with only 15 marks of the whip on their back. Soon all 10 of the soldiers were gathered in front of her, and she simply nodded the direction and the soldiers left. As all of them has passed her, she looked over her shoulder and saw Draco; she smiled kindly to him, still surprised by the turn of things, and her belly fluttered as she thought of the intensity of their act. He looked back at her, and she felt a spark in her as he smiled back, a warm and genuine smile. Not big, but enough to be noticed by her.

She turned and left the room as she walked up in front of her soldiers and leaded them back to their quarters. The journey went in silence, but once the door was closed behind the last soldier and their early return surprised those waiting for them, the questions came.

“Wait – weren’t they supposed to be in the dungeons for days?”

“Is something going on?”

“Did captain Draco finally see some sense?”

“Has something happened? Are the soldiers needed?”

Acantha drew a deep breath and raised a hand to silence her comrades, and within seconds all questions stopped. “I had a long discussion with Draco, and we came to an agreement.” She said calmly. “Our 10 comrades here got 15 hits with the whips for disturbing the order and mocking of traditions.”

Immediately some soldiers started to groan in disapproval, some cursed, while the rest listened intently. Again, Acantha raised her hand again and silence followed so she could continue. “About the Argive soldiers, they will have to sit in the dungeons for 5 days and will be given 30 hits with the whip tomorrow morning, for provoking, harassment, disturbing the order, mocking and starting a fight.”

“Not more than 30? Not only did they insult every single of your soldier, but also you. A captain, now lieutenant in their own army.” a tall man asked, one who used to be Acantha’s lieutenant. His name was Thanas, and he didn’t look pleased as he leant against the wall and looked her up and down with a curious and critical stare.

“To avoid making the ditch between us and the Argives deeper, there’s a limit on how hard the punishment can be, when what needed is to build bridges.” Acantha said calmly. “Giving them hell for this would only make them despise us more, and that would make our time here a living hell. Draco’s message is clear: if Argive soldiers start mocking again, you go straight to one of the commanders. Do not start a fight over childish behaviour.”

“They even gave their own lieutenant a punch so bad that his lip broke. I saw him later this evening, and it didn’t look good. He had gotten two stitches on the inside of his lip, he’s lucky to not get his teeth knocked out.” Thanas continued as he walked up to her.

“Ixas claims he didn’t know who hit him. It could have been anyone, Argive, Cycladesian...” Acantha said and sat down on a chair by a table, grabbed an apple from a fruit basket, and took a large bite of it. “Draco suggested that we have a speech after this incident to make a few things clear, and I have great plans of finding my bed and start thinking about my part before I fall asleep. It’s been a long day.”

“Isn’t it a bit naïve to think that a speech will sort it out?” Thanas asked.

“You can’t expect them to respect the differences when they are not given the chance to understand them. It will be only one part of many to calm this down.” Acantha said calmly and looked at Thanas. “Do you have any suggestions? Come with them, I will consider each contribution.”

Thanas remained silent for some moments before he sighed and turned away, pulling a hand through his hair. The rest of the soldiers remained silent while they watched the scene as Thanas turned to her again. “To who do you pledge your loyalty now? Which side will you step to if you will have to choose?”

“Cyclades, as I have always done.” Acantha said calmly and took another large bite of the apple. “The Argives aren’t really even our enemies; there was a conflict, and they came to a solution. Not a popular one but considering all the people that were forced to give land to our kin in order to let us _live_ , not only survive, it is not that unfair. I can only imagine having to pick a side in case war breaks out, and that is something we have prevented by just being here.”

“You really think it’s that easy?” Thanas chuckled. “Look at us; one thing is that we easily can adapt to fit in, but what about the Argives accepting us? We’ve been given quite a few looks, to put it that way. A day can’t pass without one of our men hearing comments about him being a girl because he most likely has accepted to surrender under a woman at least thrice in his life. Or one of our women being teased about dressing like men. They don’t like us being here!”

“Yet the majority here accepts us, it’s those imbessiles with the big mouths we should aim for, not all those who has accepted us and lent us a hand in the hour of need. And this is why Draco now wants to draw a clear line on what is acceptable and not; the fight was in all ways possible unnecessary, and his own lieutenant was ridiculed today, by his own soldiers.” She sighed, starting to realise how tired she was.

“Before or after the fight?” Thanas asked with his arms crossed and a disappointed face.

“Pardon?”

“I see you are on very friendly terms, and I wonder if he was ridiculed before or after that. Those marks speak volumes about the two of you. So I guess he was insulted as well, if the soldiers’ words meant that he’s apparently sleeping with a slut in man’s clothes.” He said with quirked eyebrows. The crowd of soldiers had remained silent, but now there was a sound of whispering in the room. “At least he seemed to be on top, good for him.”

“Before, since there was no ‘friendly terms’ of that kind to speak of before the fight. An insult to a lieutenant is an insult to him.” Acantha said and got up from the chair and walked over to Thanas. “And if you must know… check out the right side of his neck when you see him tomorrow; he will have a glorious bruise there, and on his left arm as well. Even his chest, if you get to see it. Don’t think I would let him come out of our second duel on top. And now… he can’t accept that kind of behaviour at all, because all with a pair of eyes will know.” She looked at Thanas with a pleased smile. “Double win: a glorious fuck, and no level of tolerance for that kind of behaviour from his soldiers.”

Thanas seemed surprised at this knowledge, but yet he seemed to not trust her. “And you think that giving him a few minutes between your legs is going to do us any favours?”

Acantha couldn’t help but shook her head and chuckle. “Minutes? You must have forgotten what I can be like, and don’t think I’ll let him finish before I’m pleased.” she smiled and looked at him with raised eyebrows. “No, but I used the time to teach him a few lessons about our kin and our pride. And now, every insult towards a Cycladesian woman becomes an insult to him as well. He better step carefully in the future. Yet, he is a man of tactics, so I trust that we will see a change for the better now.”

Thanas gave her a last look before he nodded his head. “Then I put my trust in the lessons you gave him. Because I’m tired of those asshats making life here sour.”

“So am I, and I also dare placing my trust in Draco.” Acantha said calmly. “Any more questions?”

“No, captain.” Thanas said and turned to sit down with some friends.

Acantha looked over the crowd that had gathered, and she knew that some of them would judge her for the time she had spent with Draco, but she wouldn’t regret it, she just hoped it would have the effect she hoped for. It was a relief to finally get there with him, yet she had hoped that the circumstances would be different, she didn’t want to use him as a tool either. Yet, they all seemed to accept it so far, even if they might not like it. “Any questions?” she asked the crowd, but they took a step back, nodded their heads to her in respect and returned to their own businesses.

Acantha was tired and headed to bed, and she was asleep before her head hit the pillow.

*

The next morning was their first day off in two weeks, and Acantha slept for a long time and didn’t wake up before Iphi, her sister, came to wake her up.

“Sis, wake up, it’s almost midday.”

“What?” Acantha groaned as she turned over in bed and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes.

“I suggest we go and take a bath first, I think we both need it.” Iphi smiled as Acantha sat up. “And perhaps you more than me?”

“You’re funny…” Acantha yawned. “Give me 10 minutes…”

…

Acantha stood by the water basin in the wardrobe and cleaned herself before entering the baths, and slowly her mind started to clear up. As she thought of yesterday, she got tired by just the thought alone.

“A new cloth?” Iphi asked as Acantha was starting to clean her legs.

“Oh thank you!” Acantha smiled back to her sister. 

“You look very stiff and tensed.” Iphi noticed, already done cleaning herself.

“No wonder…” Acantha muttered as she stretched down to clean her legs. “First I’m out riding for over an hour. Then I get back here to chaos, a furious Draco, I get quite annoyed myself, and before I know it, I and Draco are fucking each other senseless, hard and wild as if yesterday was our last day. Every muscle in my body aches…”

“I can see that…” Iphi quirked an eyebrow. “You also have a lovely set of bruises on your back. What the hell were you doing?”

“Fucking against the wall.” Acantha said dryly and finished up cleaning herself. “On the other hand, we both were too furious and somehow too aroused to care about foreplay at all, so it started where we stood. By a wall.”

“Oh, are we speaking of good, old-fashioned angry-sex? No wonder you were too aroused.” Iphi grinned as they headed for the baths. “Was it good? How long did you go on at each other?”

“Can’t complain.” Acantha said and tried to hold back a pleased smile. “And even when it lasted for long enough, I could have gone on for hours after hours. It was damn good, a shame we were starting to get exhausted.”

“Quite intense, I guess.” Iphi giggled as she stepped into an empty bath. “I don’t blame you, he’s quite a cookie!”

“Well, he is…” Acantha sighed and rolled her eyes before she looked at her sister and chuckled as she followed her into the bath. “I’ll say it straight ahead so you get what you want, and can give me some peace, okay?”

“Yes!”

“His body is a gift from the gods, so his member, and it was marvellous. And I am seriously tempted to get into his bed again.” Acantha said low but with a playful smile. “Though, I hope that wouldn’t have to be as rough and wild as yesterday. My hips are bruised too…”

“I wonder what he looks like…”

As if destiny wanted to play a funny trick on them, Draco entered the bath together with Solon and Ixas the next moment. Ixas’ lip looked terribly swollen, but he still tried to smile a bit. Acantha wanted to grin widely as she saw Draco’s bruised knees, the bruised bite marks on his neck, chest and arm, and the claw marks on his torso.

“There you got your answer.” Acantha whispered and Iphi giggled.

Her giggle made Solon aware of them, and he guided the trio in their direction. “Another late bird, I see?”

“Just made it out of bed.” Acantha smiled. “How’s your lip, Ixas?”

“It looks worse than it is, just relax.” He smiled bravely, but it was clear that it hurt. She didn’t blame him, a broken lip with stitches were one of the few things that would have her begging for comfort.

“Yeah, you just have to eat through a straw for a few days…” Draco mumbled.

“It could have been worse, I could have lost a tooth for five!” Ixas shrugged his shoulders and Draco rolled his eyes.

Iphi smiled as she leant back against the edge of the bath and smiled to the three men. “More than room enough for the three of you. We weren’t waiting for anyone.”

“Ah, thank you!” Solon smiled and climbed into the bath and Ixas quickly followed.

Draco shot a glance at Acantha as he left the towel on the edge and followed his comrades; it was weird to think of, only a day or two ago he would have avoided this the best he could, but now he couldn’t care less. Taking a bath was nothing compared to yesterday.

*

“Hey, stop playing around and focus on the task instead!” Draco barked at a group of soldiers who seemed too busy with fooling rather than doing the task they were set to. To put together a military cartridge shouldn’t take 4 men more than 20 minutes, but they weren’t even halfway through after 15 minutes.

“Sorry captain.” One of the men chuckled and returned to his task of getting the wheels ready. The second man apologised too and helped his comrade. The two others did not return to their tasks, but instead stood there and looked at Draco with questioning faces.

“And what is the problem?” Draco asked them. “The command was clear.”

“Sorry, we just didn’t know if it was a command or not.” One of them said with a slightly mocking tune.

“And why should you doubt the nature of my commands?” Draco asked calmly.

“No, we’re just curious on where we have you these days. Apparently, you seem to enjoy the company of the Cycladians so much that you even let them rule you.” The other soldier said and shrugged his shoulders.

Draco could feel his blood pressure rise as they challenged him. “That doesn’t change the fact that I am your captain and you are to obey my command. In case you haven’t noticed, the Cycladians are actually paying me more respect these days. You should too.”

“Respect a captain that willingly go to bed with their captain…” the first of the two challenging soldiers chuckled. “How can you expect us to respect you when you don’t even have self-respect?”

“If that was so, how would that be to not have self-respect?” Draco asked as calmly as he could. So far, he had managed to conceal his fury.

“I don’t know, fraternising with the enemy?” the second of them suggested.

“And how many times do I have to tell you that they are not enemies?” Draco said low with a growl as he stepped closer to him. “They are _allies_ , they are here to serve us, to be a part of our defence, in order to be a part of the Argolis. There is no wrong-doing in building bridges with them, and if an Argive soldier goes to bed with Cycladesian one, I will not be the one to judge them for doing something wrong. Most likely it would be to do the right thing. I won’t hear them being spoken of as enemies again.”

The two questioning soldiers shot each other a quick glance before they looked at Draco. “If that is the way it is…” the first shrugged his shoulders.

“That is what the King and his court decided. Go against it, and you risk more than me sending you to the dungeons for a few days for not following commands.” Draco stated simply but with a strict voice.  
“Yes, captain.” The second of them said and nodded, realising he was crossing the line. He laid a hand on his comrade’s shoulder to tell him they should know when to pull back. The first soldiers looked at Draco a last time before he nodded and followed his comrade.

As Draco was sure that they continued their task, he let a long sigh out. Well, he was naïve to think that everyone would be fine with his obvious marks of being at the bottom for once. The problem seemed to be who was on top, though. He scratched his beard, wondering if this was just a spontaneous reaction, or if he had stirred something deeper. He hoped for the first, so that there wouldn’t be no more clashes between the two different clans working together.

*

“You look thoughtful, captain.” Acantha said as she sat down by the commander’s table in the dining hall. It had been a few days since their affair and the marks were finally starting to fade.

Draco lifted his gaze just enough to see it was her before he continued looking at the table in front of him. “No, just… no…” he mumbled and picked up a piece of meat and chewed it slowly.

“My dear grump, I might have been here for barely two months, but I’ve learned to read your 7 different facial expressions well enough to know that something is bothering you.” She said as she started to fill her mouth with food. Draco looked up at her again with highly raised eyebrows and watched her eat. “Okay 8, I think that is shock and very similar to what I saw the first day here.”

“Your mouth may look small, but certainly you can be big mouthed.” Draco commented.

“Of course, great things come in discrete wrappings, you know.” She said and downed her mouthful of food with ale.

“And your confidence as well.” he pointed out. 

“Of course, I wouldn’t have been here without an unhealthy amount of self-confidence.” Acantha smiled to him. “Now, away from my brilliant being and back to your thoughts. What’s worrying you?”

Draco realised it didn’t help to distract her. “Some issues with my soldiers.”

“Ah, you too?” she chuckled. “Even when most of mine calmed down after seeing you with the marks of my teeth on your neck, some disapproved.”

“Same here… some was glad that I had ‘put you in place’, while some found it… not so trustworthy, saying I’m getting too fond of your kin.” He sighed and rubbed a brow to soothe the building headache before he picked up his own ale.

“Some even questioned my loyalty after spreading my legs for you.” Acantha chuckled. “As if a cock in my vagina is the key to my loyalty…” Draco snorted into his beer at her honest and open language and quickly wiped the beer off from his beard and moustache. “You ought to meet more bigmouthed people in your life, Draco.” Acantha said as she observed his reaction.

“Sorry…” he mumbled, a slight tint of pink on the top of his cheeks.

“It’s not me you should be sorry for, it’s yourself.” Acantha smiled and quirked a brow. “But back to the topic; have you noticed a positive change?”

“At least I haven’t heard as much mocking of your soldiers. And there haven’t been any fights.” He said calmly, trying to keep his head cool. Damn, she was doing something to him, and he wasn’t sure if he was comfortable or not. “You then?”

“Well, not as much complaints, so I guess things are turning for the better for them.” She smiled. “Even before your little speech tomorrow.”

“I actually am optimistic for the first time since you came here.” Draco said with a thoughtful frown.

“If that’s your optimistic face, I hope I get to see it more often.” Acantha winked.

Draco shot her a slightly annoyed glare, but couldn’t hold it for long. Well, some things hadn’t changed. It both amused and scared him. “I think that the speech will be short, but clear. No longer than 5 minutes, I think. Too many words, and people stop listening.”

“Sounds like a plan. My soldiers like it simple. That’s why we’re bigmouthed.” Acantha smirked to him.

“Guess we’re on the same page then.” Draco smiled.

*

Draco looked over the crowd in front of him. Two hundred soldiers, one of many legions in Argos, but the only one with both Argive and Cycladesian soldiers. They looked at him with expectations as he stood on top of a cart so all could see him. To be heard wasn’t a problem, he knew how to get their attention, but he wanted to see their faces, and see their reaction at his words. Acantha, Ixas, Belo and Solon stood by the wall to the left, just beside the soldiers.

“I asked for you to come here, and you all did. I have some words for all of us, and I hope all of you will follow them, as I will do. This is a matter of respect.” Draco started, and after his little pause, there was complete silence.

“For two months, we have shared our time with a group of soldiers I have come to admire greatly. We do not look any different, we’re all of the same kin, even when our traditions are somewhat different, and sometimes our set of thoughts. But remember what brought them here – death.” Draco paused again, to let the words sink in for a few seconds before he continued.

“I know that they would never have been here if it wasn’t for the drought that struck our realm. They suffered the most, as their islands have limited sources for clean water, for both drinking and farming. Young and old died, side by side. The storms that came only gave enough rain to soak the ground for a few days before it was just as bad. No rain came. Before the drought, their islands were fertile, they had all they needed. We hardly heard anything about them, as they did well and rarely involved in any conflicts. But then they had to flee from death, and their leaders begged us.”

“To avoid an open war with a starving and desperate people our King came with an offering, which their leaders accepted, without counselling their people or their officers. Because they were desperate, and it would for them. You can only imagine the shock when you’re told to go and serve a King you’ve hardly heard about. But they did, because there were so many lives at risk. And it is a way to a better and safer future, where your children won’t starve to death. And a way to get to know how things are in your new home.”

“I do not ask you to pity them, but I ask you to respect their story and ways. In the same way I expect the Argive ways to be respected. We are in this together, and from now on I hope there will be no more us and them. We are a legion, we are training together and we will fight together, and we are in this together. We might have our differences, but we have much more in common, and I don’t want the differences to weigh more than what we share. The differences shall no more be a reason to mock, for neither of us, and I will rather see them used as a strength. As I now step down, I expect to hear more solutions, and no arguing anymore. That is done, and I will not tolerate arguments. I want to see you worship comradeship, to enjoy differences, and to learn from each other. Can you do that for me?”

The soldiers replied by raising their fists and slam them to their chest plate, over and over again. Draco gave them a small, yet pleased smile. “Then it’s settled. Today we start a better way than before.”

He climbed down from the cart and headed over to where the lieutenants stood, and on his way to them, the soldiers reached after him to pat his shoulder, both Argive and Cycladesian, and he knew he had said the right words.

“Brilliant, Draco.” Solon smiled to him as he made it over to them.

“Too long? I got carried away.” Draco mumbled.

“No, just perfect.” Acantha smiled warmly to him. “Thank you.”

“We should thank you.” Draco said to her with an almost apologetic look.

“Next speech.” She winked to him.

“Maybe the soldiers should get back to business…” Ixas said as he saw Acantha’s look. “Now, back to training! Speech is over!”


	6. the Wrong Door

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now, let's see what happens when you're overly tired and don't remember the way to your new chamber.
> 
> A little heads up for some juicy language

Acantha could barely keep her eyes open as she more or less stumbled down the halls to her chambers. It was tough enough to not take the old route; only a week ago she had been provided with new chambers in the same hall as the other lieutenants and captains in the legion as a part of showing the Cycladians that they were considered a natural part in the legion. Acantha didn’t complain, her new chambers were quite exclusive compared to the old one, which basically was just a bedroom separated from her soldiers. This one had both a living room, an own, simple bathroom and a bedroom.

But today had been a long day; even when she “just” had a late shift, her day had started before the first bird shat on the ground. Meetings, meetings and more meetings, before a shift where she hardly had got time to eat and drink. Now she just wanted to sleep and as she rounded the corner and saw the line of doors, she aimed for the door where she knew a warm bed was waiting for her.

She stumbled inside, so tired that she feared she would fall asleep before she made it to the bed. She got her armour off by the door and aimed for the bedroom door at the other side of the living room. Halfway through it, she stopped and looked around the room slightly confused; she couldn’t remember leaving the room this tidy and in fine order. Somebody must have emptied all the boxes with her things and got them in place. ‘What a nice thing to do, I better thank them…’ she thought as she headed for the bedroom. She made it in and just pulled her tunic over her head before she undid the strings on her sandals and climbed naked into bed.

Acantha felt something stir beside her and stared through the sleepy slits of her eyes at somebody sleeping in her bed. “Who the fuck are you?” she asked, already reaching for the dagger under the bed. Dammit, it was gone. Had she forgotten to put it there? She didn’t remember, she hardly remembered her own name right now.

The person turned around to look over his shoulder, and to Acantha’s surprise, it was Draco. “What the fuck are you doing here?” he growled with eyes he could barely keep open.

“Excuse me, but it’s my bed.” Acantha sighed as she laid down on the bed and demonstratively pushed his butt with hers to take her place and make herself comfortable.

“You must have walked into the wrong chambers…” Draco mumbled as he rolled over on his back.

“You silly. I have figured out you liked our affair but isn’t it easier to just invite me to bed rather than walking into my chambers?” she sighed as she pulled the blanket over her shoulders.

“This is my bed…” he mumbled and corrected the blanket, so his feet were covered.

“Shut up and get out…” Acantha yawned.

“I’m not getting out of my own bed.” Draco sighed.

“Fine, just sleep here. If anything, you can keep me warm.” She mumbled and started to drift off to sleep. Draco laughed and couldn’t believe it, and she noticed. “Hold around me, would you?”

“Seriously?” he chuckled.

“Seriously.” She answered. “And then shut up and sleep.”

“Aye, lieutenant…” he said and laid an arm around her. And he had to admit, it was quite comfortable to lay this close to her and smell her soft scents from her hair. Like this, they fell asleep.

*

Acantha woke up as sunbeams hit her face. First she thought she was late for work, but then she remembered it was her day off, and she relaxed again. Nothing was like sleeping until you woke up by a sore back and a fully rested body. Then she froze because of the arm that was resting on her waist. She turned around and found Draco in her bed, confusion and shock hit her and she almost threw him off her.

“WHAT?!” came from Draco as he was startled by her sudden move, brutally pulled out of his sweet dreams.

“What are you doing in my bed?!” she hissed and sat up to look down at him.

“Seriously, you’re in my chambers…” he sighed and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. “You walked in here last night and insisted it was your chambers…”

“You’re kidding now…” she said and look at him with a frown.

“No, take a look around.” He chuckled.

Acantha looked around in the room, and in daylight she realized that it was filled with things that weren’t her own. “Wow, this is amazing…”

“Either you were dead tired last night, or you had other intensions as you came here…” he grinned as he stretched out on the bed.

“Like what?” she rolled her eyes, slightly embarrassed.

“Oh, considering how you’ve been after me for some time, I’m almost suspecting you for being here for some morning activities.” Draco winked and rolled over on his side to look at her. “Playful gymnastics is the best way to start a day.”

“Oh gods Draco… I walked into the wrong room!” she sighed.

“For some sweet morning sex?” he murmured as he leant closer to her.

“No, to sleep! I was dead tired!” she groaned and buried her face in her hands. She was embarrassed beyond what she had ever been before.

“Well, you must have been, since you didn’t realise your mistake. Not even as you found me in the bed.” He grinned, his smile most of all reminding her of a cat that is pleased with his kill. She was glad to know that Draco most likely had other things on mind than killing her. “I could almost suspect you were positively surprised to find me here, or you really had a plan about this.” He quirked an eyebrow to her.

“Who are you and what have you done to Draco?” Acantha inquired, wondering if this was a dream or not. When did Draco become playful and seductive?!

“I’m still me. I’m just very delighted to wake up in the same bed as you!” he smiled and looked down her body that was just partly covered by the blanket.

“And you are sure nothing happened last night… Because I’m worried I have woken up drunk…” Acantha almost hoped that was the truth. This was getting really embarrassing.

“Unfortunately not, we both were too tired.” Draco sighed and watched his finger draw lazy and light patterns over the edge of her hip.

Oh gods that touch was doing something to her. “Well, after all, I didn’t realise my mistake until now.”

“I still suspect you for having other intentions.” Draco smiled wolfishly to her.

“Like morning gymnastics? I’m afraid I was too tired to even think of that!” she sighed, but his touch was fantastic. She wanted more. “That could be the happy ending of an embarrassing adventure…”

“Indeed it could.” He smiled as he buried his face in her hair and inhaled the sweet smell of her. “I’m ready to figure out that happy ending.”

Acantha chuckled and spread her legs for him and he was quick to find his position between her legs. She couldn’t believe it that their naked bodies were pressed together again, that their lips were kissing each other passionately. But this time it wasn’t fuelled by anger, there was something else. It just felt wonderfully good and she gasped in delight as he started to kiss her neck and chest instead. She bit her lip in expectation as he continued down on her, closer and closer to where she most longed to feel his lips. He made sure to tease her with little stops here and there where he would play with her, so when he finally reached her southern lips, she was already wet and ready.

With slow and teasing moves, Draco tasted his way between the moist lips; the taste of her was wonderful and he wanted to enjoy every moment of it. He had come to some terms with himself; when it was so clear from the beginning that she had wanted him, he would no longer refuse, he wouldn’t hold back anymore. She had tempted and teased him, and for so long he had resisted. But no longer; with large and slow moves he made sure he licked all of her sensitive folds, roused and swollen for him. As he aimed for the clit, he heard her gasp for air as she pushed herself towards him; oh, it hadn’t been difficult for her to get pass the feeling of shame and embarrassment and embrace the pleasure instead.

Draco knew that if he had wanted to, she would be ready by now to be fucked, but he wasn’t in the mood to rush it. He made himself even more comfortable as he continued to eat her out, and with his hands on her hips, he made sure that he would get to do it the way he had longed for. Acantha didn’t seem to disagree with him, rather the opposite as she sunk down on the mattress and enjoyed how he treated her. He carefully sucked on her clit to make it more sensitive and her gasp of delight was like music in his ears.

And Acantha certainly enjoyed this; it amazed her how he seemed to enjoy this almost as much as her, and she didn’t feel bad for just laying back on the bed and let him have a good time with her. If this would happen every time she walked into the wrong chambers by night, she would make sure it became a habit. It would be worth it, to feel his skilled tongue play with her clit or teasingly slide over her folds. Definitely something she would want to feel more than one time.

Acantha arched her back as Draco pushed his tongue inside her; the sensations caused as he hungrily tasted her was fantastic, and as he replaced his tongue with a finger, she moaned loudly. How his finger thrusted in and out of her while his tongue rubbed her clit, was absolute bliss. As she looked down, their eyes met and it was so clear to her how he enjoyed this. As he shifted his weight so he rested on his hips, she could see his erected member, and man, that was something she wanted inside her again. It aroused her beyond what she had believed the simple sight of a cock would be able to, and she was sure she would be coming soon.

“Draco…! I’m coming!” she hissed as she couldn’t control her hips rolling with the teasing moves of his tongue on her clit. He hummed his response and the vibration of his voice set her off; a blinding pleasure shot through her from between her legs and out to every nerve in her body. Her skin burned in the sensation and she couldn’t hold back her loud moans as he kept her on the edge to endure the pleasure even longer.

Acantha gasped for air as she landed after her orgasm, and as Draco climbed to lay over her, she embraced him and welcomed his presence. Draco chuckled and kissed her neck with the same exploring curiosity as he had kissed and teased her to her first orgasm so far. “Are you ready for more?” he murmured in her ear.

“Get that cock inside me…!” she groaned as he kissed her cheek.

“Hungry, little wolf?” he whispered before he kissed her lips.

The taste of herself on his lips was more arousing than she had expected, and she laid her legs around his hips and guided his member to her entrance. Draco didn’t decline the direct invitation and pushed inside her.

This time it was much gentler than their first time; no pleasant pain, but a satisfying feeling filled them instead as he was inside and picked up a playful pace. He rested his forehead on the pillow behind her as she embraced him and followed his moves as she rocked her hips with him. Yes, last time had been intense and good, but this was something completely different and they didn’t want this to end. She was so ready for him, he could push all the way in already and he moaned out his pleasure as all of him was buried in her sweet depths.

The pace and strength increased, and she couldn’t believe how much pleasure he brought her. The friction between them was fantastic and she knew that this could have her coming again if he only pushed the right buttons. He leant his weight over her and it felt as if they were one. She swore she could feel his heartbeats and as her hands slid over his back, she couldn’t help but admire the muscles that moved under her palms, how every part of him was bringing them this pleasure.

Draco’s face as he straightened up again to look down on her was a wonderful sight; his skin was moist and the pink tint on his cheeks made him look more alive than she could recall. He rested his weight on one arm to cup a breast with the other hand, and the sensation from the kneading and the pinch of the nipple was just too much for her. Again the pleasure erupted from her groin and spread throughout her being, but this time it was even more intense as Draco adjusted the strength and pace of his thrusts to match the pulls of her walls. She didn’t know what to do and in despair she buried her hands in her hair as she let out her moans, and he seemed to be amused by the sight. For a moment Acantha thought he would come too as his own moans hit a higher tune and he seemed to tense, but instead he calmed down and continued. That control was even more of a turn-on for her.

As her orgasm faded away, he leant down to kiss her. “Are you ok?” he asked softly as he stilled over her, but still inside her.

“Gods, yes…!” she managed to say with a smile.

“Good.” He chuckled and kissed her again. He then pulled out of her and rolled over on his back. Acantha didn’t hesitate to follow him and sank down on him before he had got to sense the chiller air outside her warmth. He slid straight to her bottom and he couldn’t hold back a moan at the sensation. His palms rested on her hips as she started to ride him, slow and rolling moves at first, and he sat up so he could suck on her breasts. She loved how his beard tickled her sensitive skin, and slowly her pace increased as pleasure was taking over again.

Draco laid down again so he could thrust against her rolling moves and together this turned into an intense combination. Acantha couldn’t believe how perfectly his cock fit her, how he hit all the good spots inside her and intensified the entire experience. He seemed to be just as happy about her as well and his own climax was coming closer. Yet he focused on getting her there one more time before he allowed himself to come, and he had figured out how to get her there. With skilled fingers he teased her clit again, and one more time the pleasure exploded from her core and burnt along ever nerve of her being. They no longer cared if anybody heard their pleased moans, Acantha would gladly face those who heard them and tell them how fucking good it was. Her palms slid over his furry chest as the climax faded away, and she loved how the hairs tickled her palms, it was just fantastic.

As she was riding through her last waves of pleasure, Draco’s breath turned quicker before he managed to form the words. “Get off me, get off now!”

She did, but instead of jumping aside, she climbed down on the bed instead and took his cock in her mouth. Draco gasped in surprise and pleasure, and he didn’t hold back as she sucked him to completion and gladly swallowed his cum as he came; it was a welcome change from the hand that usually brought him there. His long groan and arched body as the pleasure spread through him was a magnificent thing to witness, and in the aftermaths, where he laid still on bed, heaving for breath, Acantha carefully moved up to lay down beside him.

“Are you ok?” it was her turn to ask him now, and as she did, she carefully pulled a strand of hair away from his face.

“I feel fantastic.” He breathed and wiped the sweat away from his face. “Fuck, this was wonderful!”

Acantha couldn’t hold back her laughter and agreed with him. “Indeed it was!”

“And better than last time, I dare say.” He smiled to her as he rolled over on his side and caressed her waist.

“No doubt in that.” She smiled back and kissed him. He rolled over on his back again and let her rule the kiss as they cuddled together. “We better clean us up before we leave? Even when we’re off, we have to get up.”

“I’d rather spend the day in bed with you, but I’m afraid you’re right…” Draco sighed.

Acantha chuckled and kissed the tip of his nose. “Same here, but I don’t want to give the others the entertainment of speaking about that. They had too much fun last time.”

“No, I feel a bit egocentric and want this to myself.” He smiled as he stretched his body. “Well, that was a good way to start the day. Feel free to come by again.”

Acantha couldn’t help but laugh as he sat up and left the room. Shortly after he came back with two water bowls with some cloths and handed her one. They quickly got themselves cleaned, and then the next surprise came; he had brought with another bowl, a small one, and it turned out to contain oil. “Turn your back to me.” Draco said softly, and she did so.

“What’s on your mind now?” she asked as he dipped his fingers in the oil.

“Just thought I could rub your back a little.” He said casually and started to massage along her spine.

“Oh, I don’t mind that…” she grinned as the wonderful sensation made her entire body relax. This was absolutely a good way to start the day. After a few minutes, she looked over her shoulder. “I could do that to you, too.”

“You would?” Draco asked as he finished off his work.

“I’d love to.” Acantha smiled back.

“If you insist…” he smiled to her as he turned his back to her.

“It would be my pleasure.” She grinned and repeated the procedure. She didn’t mind at all, as her hands got to slide all over that magnificent and muscular back. She could hear his sighs of relief as she found a muscle knot to work on, and she was sure he enjoyed this more than herself.

Soon they were dressed up and left his chambers, ready for the day, their bodies relaxed after a rather lively morning. As they parted in different directions, Draco delivered a quick smack on her butt as he was sure nobody was around to see, and Acantha sent him a surprised look as he winked and disappeared around the corner.

She was left as a living question mark; was that really Draco?! He, who usually never smiled or pulled a joke, now both laughing, grinning and even smacking her butt? Either there was something wrong, or he had a side he hid well. Now that’s something. Everything this morning had taken her by surprise, and she decided she needed to have a little time-out before she joined the others for the day. Well, a time-out she mostly spent with a huge grin on her face. Maybe he was right, she would gladly mistake their doors again if this was the result every time!


	7. Eifersucht

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We get to learn that somebody is very fond of their hair, and our heroes leave the city for new adventures. And as the title implies, somebody will be jealous.
> 
> A little heads up for some juicy language

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reference of OC Icarus: Dwayne Johnson in Scorpion King, but with today's size :-*

“You are kidding now, aren’t you??” Iphi giggled as she and Acantha sat on a balcony to enjoy the sunset.

“Nope.” Acantha sighed.

“You… you walked into his room last night… woke up next to him… and… and had sex again?” Iphi repeated and fought to not laugh.

“Glorious, amazing and wonderful sex.” Acantha confirmed.

Iphi started to laugh, but Acantha knew better than yelling at her sister; she had always thought that since Iphi was one horrible year younger than her, she had to be patient around her. In fact, it amused her that this kind of talk still had this effect on her sister. Acantha couldn’t help but think that Iphi needed to get laid. Repeatedly. She needed to have a talk with her fiancée.

“So, no angry sex this time?” Iphi grinned.

“No, not at all. He actually was… playful.”

“What?? That grump?”

“Teased me hell a lot for the fact that I walked into the wrong room and fell asleep, claiming I had intentions.” Acantha said and studied her nails.

“Well, I’m almost suspecting the same…” Iphi winked.

“My only intention was to sleep.” Acantha rolled her eyes.

“I’m not sure if I believe you.”

…

“I’m still not sure if your intentions really were to sleep. That time you walked into his chambers.” Iphi grinned to Acantha.

“How’s that?” Acantha looked at her sister, slightly annoyed. Neither she nor Draco believed her.

“I’ve lost the count on how many times you’ve been to his bed since then. Or he to yours. In three months since that day, you’ve been seeing each other… How many times?”

“You’ve tried to keep counting them??”

“More exciting than my own sex life.” Iphi shrugged her shoulders.

“Just… don’t count them…” Acantha sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose. “I’ve simply found a man that pleases me, and that’s all. Nothing to count!”

“Sure there’s no romantic tunes?”

Acantha glared at her sister. “Pretty sure…”

“A shame, you two would have been a wonderful couple. And if you decided to have kids, they would be both beautiful and strong. Bred to kill, and to charm whoever they wanted to!” Iphi grinned.

“Gods, you think more about my future than I do!” Acantha rolled her eyes. “You got two kids yourself, dream about their future instead!”

“They want to become potters, like their father.” Iphi said and almost sounded like it bored her.

“We need potters. How should we else be able to bring with food and drinks on long marches?!”

“Point.”

“Exactly.”

“Still, you’d make some adorable and deadly kids.”

“IPHI!”

*

Acantha could sigh in relief as they just had fought their first battle for Argos and won it. Their losses were minimal, and she could count how many of her legion she had lost on one hand. Yet the losses still worried her, but they could sleep safely tonight.

“Well, my lady, you look fantastic. The blood highlights your green eyes.”

It was Ixas, who had limped up to her, and he looked like he had gotten a good beating today.

“I dare say the same to you too.” She smiled back. “That limping doesn’t look that good, though.”

“A couple of days and I’ll be fine…” he shrugged his shoulders. “A cut on the thigh, nothing too bad.”

“How is it that you always get a beating?” she chuckled.

“I tend to throw myself in with the head first.” He suggested.

“I see that.” She shook her head. “Where’s Draco?”

“Ah, he’s alive, but I think he went to his tent to take a look at a cut he got.” Ixas said and pointed in the direction of the tents that had been put up after the battle. “I suggested he should go to the healers, it didn’t look too good.”

“Typical him…” Acantha sighed and headed for Draco’s tent. “Thanks, Ixas!”

As she entered the tent, Draco was busy washing his face in a water basin. “I didn’t hear you asking for permission to enter…”

“I didn’t ask either.” Acantha said and closed the tent again.

Draco look up and saw it was her. “Ah, you?”

“Yes, me. I heard you got a cut.” She said and sat down in front of him. “I can see it too.” She said as he stopped washing his face. He had gotten a long cut over his right cheek, stretching from the middle of his cheek and down to his lip. “Where do you have your first aid kit?”

“Acantha, I can deal with this myself-“

“Shut up.” She sighed and snapped the kit from him. “As a captain, you should know when to call for aid. And that is definitely of the kind that needs some proper attention. It doesn’t look too deep, but it’s so long that it can easily get infected when it’s in the middle of your face. It’s full of dirt. And I guess I don’t have to explain the complications of an infected cut.”

Draco sighed loudly as he looked at her, but decided to just let her have her will. As she had dried his face, she started to rinse the cut, but soon found something else to worry over. “Tell me, did you get a blow to your head as well?”

“Why that?” Draco mumbled as she was fetching out small amounts of tiny rocks, almost like sand, from his cut.

“Because you keep bleeding from your hair line. I think you have a cut there as well.” She said as she poured water over the cut to make sure she had cleaned it well.

“Might be, I was hit by a shield at some point.” He shrugged his shoulder and sighed in relief as she added an ointment to the cut – it meant she was done with that one.

“Explains…” she sighed and put away the ointment. She started to look at the other cut; she found where it started, but soon found that it was several centimetres long, and pretty deep. “I hate to say this, but it will need some stitching. I will have to undo your braids.”

“You can’t be serious?” Draco said and pulled his head away from her.

“I’m afraid I am serious.” Acantha said and went through the first aid kit again to find a needle and thread.

“Sure there isn’t a way you can do it without undoing the braids?” he said and wiped blood away from his forehead.

“The cut is uneven and not in a straight line, so the easiest and best way to stitch it is to undo the braids.” She explained and prepared more water. “Tell me, is your hair style holy?” she asked and looked at him. Draco’s furious glare spoke more than a thousand words, and she started the work on undoing them. He refused to help.

“Wow, I never knew your hair was this long…!” Acantha said as she had undone the first braid and played with the hair.

“Yeah, Acantha, very funny… Can you just get this done and act like an adult?” Draco rolled his eyes.

“That’s boring…” she sighed and continued to the next.

“No, gate keeping is boring, and I will set you to that if you don’t get this done in a quick and decent way without mocking my hair!” he hissed back.

“Somebody’s in the grumpy corner today…!” Acantha said with raised eyebrows.

“Acantha…”

“Sit still, and I can soon stitch that cut together.” She said as she had undone the second braid.

“You better get my hair fixed afterwards as well.” He growled back.

“You’re a bit demanding now. Besides, I don’ have to take the fourth out.”

“Good.”

Soon Acantha had stitched his cut and was braiding his hair, with a few comments on how lucky he was to have hair that was this thick, smooth and easy to work with. “Acantha, if you want to be considered to be among those who follows the King to Sparta in a month, stop talking about my hair.”

“What?” Acantha said, almost pulled out of her trail of hairy thoughts.

“Just get my hair done, and I will make sure you are considered.” Draco mumbled.

“To… to Sparta??” she grinned. “Oh my, I’ve always wanted to go there! To see how they worship strength! They train their women too, Draco! And they’re quite liberal. They’re like our big brothers and sisters.”

“So, just get this done, and you have a fair chance for coming with.”

“Sure!!”

Draco was glad she stopped joking about his hair, instead he had to endure all her dreams about seeing Sparta. Well… she was done soon…

*

Acantha was at a loss of words as she finally saw the city she had only heard so much about, but never seen before. It was beautiful, and as they walked up to the Palace of the Spartan king, she had to focus to not be distracted. She couldn’t wait till the day was over for her part, she wanted to explore the city! Or maybe tomorrow, if the diplomatic work was done quickly. Then she reminded herself that the stay would at least for a week, so she didn’t have to worry.

…

“Come with us, there are plenty of good drinks down here!” one of the Spartan soldiers smiled as the two Kings wanted to talk privately and only had a handful of soldiers with them to guard the doors. The two kings were good friends, so there was no reason to think they would try to assassinate each other.

Draco and Acantha followed them down a stair, along a hall and made it to a lounge with several soft divans, deep chairs and, as promised, good drinks. Apparently pretty women and men too, and Acantha had a feeling that this place definitely was meant for a good time and to remove some tension. Why not?

Wine was shared, and what tension that had been between the two different groups was wiped away. Soon they all laughed, shared stories and joked. Even on Draco’s face a smile was seen. Acantha got to know the names of the soldiers that had been guarding the Spartan king; Deimos, Icarus, Kreios, Lycus and Orion. All of them well-grown men at their pride, the best age for a soldier, muscular and strong. The minimalistic clothing of Spartan soldiers left little to the imagination, and Acantha couldn’t complain about that.

She went to fetch something more to drink, but she had barely made it over to the bar as she knew somebody had followed her. She looked over her shoulder, and saw Icarus; the walking mountain, as Ixas had said earlier as they saw him the first time. That wouldn’t be an understatement, as he probably was among the biggest guys Acantha had ever seen; he was at least a head taller than her, if not more, and probably twice as wide over his shoulders compared to her. And she doubted there was any fat at all on his body, as all she could see, was flexing muscles as he walked. His long, coal black hair, elegantly collected so it fell as cascades down his back, looked as if it was made of silk, and she wondered how it would feel as it slipped between her fingers. That body had to be forged by the gods themselves, she refused to believe anything else.

“Thirsty?” he smiled to her. Dammit, even his smile was wonderful, playful and warm, his chestnut brown eyes playful and welcoming.

“It’s been quite a hot day, so yes.” She smiled back.

“No wonder, with all that clothing. Wonder how you Argives can endure it.” He chuckled.

“I’m not Argive.” She stated and nudged his side with her elbow.

“No, I should have guessed that, since they don’t train their women for warfare. Then you must be from Cyclades?” he asked with raised eyebrows, as if he expected her to lash at him.

“Bull’s eye.” She smiled to him.

“So, you’re one of those serving in Argos then. I heard about that deal.” He said with a nod.

“Please, don’t be among those trying to tell me about pride and rebelling…” she chuckled. “I’ve had enough of them!”

“No, I admire that you are willing to swallow that pride and do what is needed. Says more about your wits than if you were fighting in vain simply because of mentioned pride.” He shrugged his shoulders and picked up his new cup of wine.

“Finally, somebody who understands!” she grinned and raised her cup to him.

“Sure.” He winked and they shared a toast.

“So…” Acantha looked at Icarus. “How long have you been serving?”

“Oh for a long time…” he chuckled. “22 years now? I started when I was 9. You then?”

“Military service when I was 10. So 13 years of serving.” She said and took a sip of wine.

“That explains why you look as good as you do.” He winked. “Hard work gives good bodies.”

For a moment she was dumbfounded; that was her line! “Says the one who claims I’m wearing too much?”

“Well, your clothing do give away your arms and legs. I have enough imagination to figure out the rest.” He grinned.

“Well, you don’t leave much for the imagination.” She grinned back.

“Only the funniest part?” he quirked an eyebrow.

Wow, he was really hitting on her. This was new to her, that a man displayed his interest to her like this. It was exciting, intriguing and more tempting than anything. She had never experienced this before and she craved it.

“Well, if your imagination can’t come to a conclusion… I’ll be over there.” He smiled and left the bar.

Acantha leant back against the bar and followed him with her gaze. Dammit, she was pooling hot and wet between her legs by now. She had not expected that by such direct advantages.

…

For the next two hours, there was a silent, discrete yet very intense battle between Acantha and Icarus. Every time they walked by, it was a game on who managed to deliver a sign of interest first. A smack on the butt, a quick grasp of it, maybe an intense look. Anything.

It came to an end as Acantha walked up to Icarus from behind, who sat in a chair, and laid her hands on his shoulders and leant down to his ear. “So, you’re still right here?”

He grinned and turned his face to look at her. “You can’t come to a conclusion?” he said low but with a teasing smile.

“My imagination is too creative.” She said low, and with a finger under her cheek, he tilted her head up.

“You see those curtains over there? Behind it you find a very good bed.”

“And let me guess; everyone will hear it?” she asked, as she had heard things from behind those curtains several times tonight.

“And see if they want to.” He said low, his face so close to hers that she felt the heat from him.

“Let’s go.” She grinned.

They made it behind that curtain, and in there, she found what had to be the biggest bed she had ever seen. She didn’t get to admire it for long, as she felt Icarus embrace her from behind and kiss her neck. Oh gods, the touch of him made her skin burn with desire, and as he started to loosen the clasps that held her armour on, she was quick to help him.

Acantha turned around to face him, and he pulled the tunic over her head, and she stood naked in front of him, only her footwear still on. “My imagination wasn’t good enough. This is even better.” Icarus breathed before he leant down to kiss her, his hand kneading a breast, playing with the nipple, and the sensation sent sparks along her spine.

As they kissed, she undid the clasp that closed his cloak around his wide neck, and soon his short trousers had dropped to the floor as well. Even his shaft had got to be forged by the gods; she had to fight within herself to not rush down to it as she was kissing her way down his body, as his rock-hard member stretched up for her attention. His smooth skin was like warm silk under her lips and palms, and it only aroused her more. His divine sighs as she kissed sensitive spots was like music in her ears, and even better was his pleased moan as she finally took his cock in her mouth.

Wow, he really was big, probably the biggest guy Acantha had ever encountered, yet it fuelled her curiosity. She lost count on time and didn’t know if she had played with him for just a few minutes or more as he firmly yet carefully tugged her hair and she let him go.

“Get in the bed.” He said low, his voice almost a growl. Acantha smiled as she got up and laid down on the bed and removed her footwear, but Icarus grinned. “On your belly.”

She quirked a brow as she did as he said, and her heart skipped a beat in excitement as she felt his weight on the bed. He leant over her and tasted her skin from her neck and down her spine, placing light bites here and there. Then he grabbed her hips and pulled her up so she was exposed to him, and she gasped as he went down on her and started to eat her out. With his mouth and tongue busy pleasing her, he used the same trick with his hands as she had used on him; nothing was beating the sensation of playful fingers on the thighs, intensifying the game.

He didn’t stop until she was trembling with her first orgasm, and as it hit her, he straightened up and rammed into her. Her moans in ecstasy and his grunts in pleasure were sure to be heard, but neither of them cared; the sensation of being this filled threw everything else away from her mind, while he forgot all about others as her tight wetness surrounded him. They both were thrown into an intense act with no limits as she pushed onto him as he picked up the pace and strength with each thrust. She was stretching open for him, more than before and she wondered if she would be the same again as he was done with her.

…

“Something’s going on there?” Ixas asked as he spotted a few people standing by one of the many curtains.

“I bet it’s somebody getting down with somebody again…” Draco shrugged his shoulders and drank some wine. “I’ve seen it happen from time to time all night. Soldiers having fun with each other, or some of those working here, …”

“Care to join me checking it out? I’m curious.” Ixas grinned.

“I’m more curious about where Acantha went.” Draco said and looked around. “Well, I can start by joining you over there, so you finally get to see the Spartan liberty.”

“Awesome!” Ixas grinned as he got up. “Come on, old eagle!”

“Yeah, yeah…” Draco chuckled as he followed Ixas up to the curtain.

As they made it there, they both were in for a surprise; in there, they found Acantha on her back with her legs wide open for none less than Icarus, and he was pounding furiously into her. For a few moments they both were struck where they stood and watched as she sneaked a leg over his shoulder and managed to throw him around, so she was on top. There she learned everyone how a real woman was riding a man.

Draco watched the scene with blended feelings; sure, great to see she had a great time and man, he loved to see how her body moved. Yet, for each second, it annoyed him more and more that it was somebody else between her legs and not him. And he felt something in his mind snap as she for a moment leant forwards to push his face between her breasts, and Icarus’ massive cock was out for free air, glistening with her juices.

He couldn’t feel his legs moving, but he approached the scene. Acantha jumped off that beef in surprise, and Draco delivered a well-placed fist in the middle of that perfect face before he threw him off the bed and slit his throat. The relief was beyond what he had imagined, and as Acantha welcomed him on the bed, spearing her legs for him and inviting him home, everything felt just right. He forgot all about the beef bleeding to death on the floor as Acantha’s sweet lips met his.

“Draco?” Ixas asked and Draco was pulled out of his dream.

“Huh?” Draco asked and looked at the younger lieutenant.

“Your jaw looks very tight. Are you fine?” Ixas asked.

“Sure.” Draco said and put on a smile, even when he wished his dream was true as Acantha moaned out in ecstasy as she was riding Icarus like crazy.

“Well, at least we found her…” Ixas chuckled and took a sip of wine. “Even ruling the show…”

“Yeah, he’s in no position to claim authority, so then she grabs the chance.” Draco said and finished his cup of wine.

“I bet you know all about that.” Ixas grinned.

“Oh, shut up…” Draco rolled his eyes and decided to leave before he actually made his dream a reality. He really had not expected that reaction. Maybe he should stop drinking, he tended to act weirdly when drinking. Yep, he blamed the wine, that explained it! It had to be so, since he was pretty sure there was no romance with him and Acantha.

…

Acantha had no idea for how long she and Icarus had been going on. Some curious people had looked through the curtains a few times, but now there were none. Icarus’ breath was getting arrhythmic as he turned them over again, her legs over his shoulders as he thrusted deep and hard into her. He growled loudly as he came, his last thrusts almost like cramps and his grip on her hips bruising as he held her tight under him as every drop was spilled into her.

Even as he didn’t rest his weight on her, she felt how heavy he was. Slowly he regained his breath again and pulled away from her, and the dim light shone on his moist skin and highlighted every curve of his muscles. She couldn’t believe that she got away from an affair with him alive, considering how everything about him was so massive and full of strength.

She sat up and cupped his cheek, and he looked up to see her in her eyes, a tired smile on his face as she spoke. “Are you ok?”

“I feel fantastic.” He smiled back. “You then?”

“I feel pretty amazing.” She chuckled and he had to share the laugh, before he looked more serious again.

“I forgot about pulling out… Fuck…”

“I’ve got some herbs to deal with that.” She smiled and got out of bed to start dressing up again.

“Sure it will work?” he asked and got up.

“If not, I know where to send the kid.” She teased back as she attached her belts. “I’ve been through a couple of accidents. These herbs saved me every time.”

“Let’s hope so.” He smiled as he leant down to kiss her lips, before he kissed her neck. “You’re staying here for the week?”

“That’s the plan.” She murmured, enjoying the sensation of his soft lips on her still sensitive skin.

“Good, because one night wasn’t enough.” He growled and bit her earlobe.

“Hungry?” she grinned as she pushed him off her.

“Very.” He smiled as she sneaked a hand down to his manhood.

“You better get those trousers on again before your soldier is all ready again. I have a date with my aid kit due to his spilling already.” She winked before she grabbed her armour and got it on.

“Fine, go and fix that.” He chuckled.

“There are still 7 days left of my stay.” She winked and left the room.

She headed to the room she shared with Draco and Ixas, and she was glad it wasn’t a long distance. After all, she had to deal with the herbs as quick as possible. As she made it to the room, she found that Draco was already there, preparing himself for the night.

“Took your time, eh?” he asked as he cleaned his teeth with a picker.

“Pardon?” she asked, surprised that he was there.

“No, with Icarus.” He shrugged his shoulders.

“Ah, that.” She chuckled and aimed for her bag and found the aid kit. “What can I say? He had a lot to offer!”

“I… saw that.” Draco mumbled and washed his mouth with water.

“Are somebody in here jealous?” Acantha giggled as she looked through the pouches of herbs till she found the right one. She looked over her shoulder again as she felt Draco’s weight behind her on the bed. “What is it?”

His hand caressed her thigh and with his nose in her hair, he took a deep breath. “Are you sure he could please you like I do?”

Acantha smiled to him and caressed his cheek. “Draco, nobody pleases me the way you do.”

Draco smiled as his hand slid up the inside of her thighs while he placed kisses on her shoulder, but no response came from her. “So why does it feel as if you don’t want me?”

Acantha sighed as she picked up three leaves of the herb. “Because it’s been a very long day, I’ve had my share of wine, it’s been a very hot day and the evening chill is blessed right now, and I just had a rather intense round with a guy almost twice my weight. I’m exhausted.”

“You’ve had two rounds before?”

“Draco, you don’t need to prove anything. And right now I need to get these leaves up my sweet little pussy to not end up birthing a child.” She sighed as she dipped a tiny linen pouch in water while she chewed on the leaves.

“What- couldn’t he get out in time?” it blurted out of Draco.

“Don’t forget that I’ve had to do this twice after our rounds.” She sighed as she stuffed the leaves in the bag. 

“And one of them because you didn’t get off me.” He said to his defence.

“Draco…” Acantha sighed. “This is nothing to argue about. I’d love to sleep with you again, many times, but not right now. And as far as I’m concerned, we’re not in any ways bound to each other and are free to find entertainment elsewhere.”

Draco looked at her, and he knew she was bloody right. There really wasn’t anything to argue about, and she should not be blamed for his hurt pride. “We sound like an old married couple…”

“We do…!” Acantha couldn’t hold back her laugh. “Let’s just forget about this and wake up sober tomorrow.”

“Sounds like a good plan.” Draco smiled as she got up and went to the bathroom to do prepare herself for the night. He got up and walked over to his bed, accepting his defeat, and got his clothes off before he laid down and pulled the blanket over himself.

He had almost drifted off to sleep as he felt Acantha sit down beside him on the bed. “Should we share the bed?” she asked kindly.

For a moment Draco considered to tell her to sleep in her own bed, so she could taste her own medicine, but sense struck him. He simply undid the knot on her belt so it fell to the floor, his silent way to tell her to get those clothes off and come under the blanket with him. As her naked body laid down beside him and he could pull the blanket over them before he held around her, he smiled. This was something Icarus didn’t get.


	8. Competition

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Draco isn't the one to just give up, and Icarus takes what he can get. Ixas on the other hand, should consider to get another room.
> 
> A little heads up for some juicy language

As Acantha woke up, she stretched her body for several seconds, enjoying how it came to wake up and get ready for the day. Carefully she got out of the bed to not wake up Draco and she headed to the bathroom. She saw that Ixas had returned at some point during the night, as he laid fully dressed on the bed and sleeping heavily. She just chuckled at the sight as she closed the door to the bathroom and got to follow nature’s call. As that call was satisfied, she got the herb bag out and quickly washed herself, and as she left the bathroom, she was ready to meet the day.

Still, she headed back to the bed and slipped under the blanket again. Draco lifted his arm so she could move closer, but he was still in his sleep. She snuggled closer as they lay face to face, and she kissed his lips softly as she caressed his face. Draco slowly came to consciousness and gazed at her through sleepy eyes. “Good morning, handsome.” She whispered to him, and there was a small smile on his face.

“Good morning, pretty…” he yawned and stretched his body.

“Slept well?” she asked as her hand played with his chest hairs.

“Like a rock.” he smiled and enjoyed how she played with him.

“Good.” She smiled back and kissed the tip of his nose before she placed a soft kiss on his lips as her hand slid down his belly. He answered her kiss and laid an arm around her, his fingers burying in her hair. He loved it when she didn’t braid it, so he could enjoy her golden cascades. She reached down to his cock and gripped around the already stone hard shaft, slowly pumping it as their kiss deepened.

He slid a hand down along her spine, a light touch of his fingertips, just as he knew she liked it. She moaned against his lips to confirm it, and he smiled when she lifted her leg for him as his hand slid over her hips. He played with her, rubbing her clit and felt how it grew with his touches – their numerous affairs had taught him exactly what she liked, and her what he liked. He hadn’t had the need to seek other women when he had her around, who knew exactly how to please him, to let some steam out and to get rid of tension.

Acantha sent him a playful smile before she turned the other way around, her back turned against his. Draco grinned as she pushed her butt against his crotch, her back arched so that the round form was tempting him even more than it already did. He didn’t mind spooning her, he loved the view to her behind. He grabbed his shaft and guided it to her entrance, and with a smooth move he was inside her again. Oh, how sweet it was to be there again, it was beyond his understanding why this felt so good. He started with a slow pace with deep and rolling moves, and he smiled as he heard her pleased gasps; at least she had not forgotten that he could do her good too, and he placed several kisses and light bites on her back, neck and shoulders.

The pace increased and he sneaked a hand down her belly and to her clit and kept teasing her till she came. Her higher pitched gasps was like music in his ears and he savoured the sound of every one of them as he kept pounding into her. She was so wet for him, he closed his eyes as the pleasure almost became too much for him, but he managed to hold back.

As Acantha landed after her climax, she rolled back to force him to lay down on his back before she climbed up to sit on top of him. He chuckled in the surprise of her move. “You do remember Ixas is lying on the bed over there?”

“He’s too drunk to notice.” Acantha replied and sank down on his shaft, biting her lower lip to not moan loud.

“Hungry today?” he chuckled as he saw her face.

“The last two weeks I’ve tried to get a hold on you, but I’ve been hilariously cock-blocked every time.” She sighed as she rolled her hips as she rode him.

“I can see that.” He smiled, his head sinking back in the pillows as he let her rule the show. He knew that if he let her ride him to his climax, it was always a most pleasant experience. She pleased herself as she rolled up and down his shaft, using her inner muscles to milk him, and she didn’t disappoint this time either. As she came, he was so close that he fought to hold back just enough to let her get off him once she was finished. Still short of breath, she hoisted herself up from him before she sent him off with a trembling hand. Draco couldn’t hold back a loud moan at the sensation and hardly noticed that Ixas turned around on the bed a few metres away from them.

“Pleased?” Acantha asked with a satisfied smile.

“Hell yes!” Draco chuckled and she laid down on the bed again before she kissed him. Draco chuckled as she again snuggled closer to him. “Any idea what the time is?”

“Probably ‘we should have been out of bed long ago’ or something around there.” She smiled as she kissed his neck. Oh, she loved how he smelled after a round, it was some of the best things she knew.

They heard Ixas move on the other bed again, and with a palm against his forehead, he sighed and tried to get over the headache. “Please, get a room…”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Draco said with a small smile as he got up from the bed and headed to the bathroom.

“Seriously, I’m in here too…” Ixas groaned as he tried to steady himself to get up.

“I thought you were sleeping.” Acantha smiled as she picked up her tunic and slid it over her body and prepared herself for the day.

“Until you jerked him off.” Ixas mumbled and dropped down on the bed again. “Gods, my head is cracking open.”

“Somebody had too much wine last night?” Acantha teased as she walked up to Ixas.

“How could I say no? They were too sweet…” Ixas sighed.

“Here, have some water, you’ll need it.” Acantha said and filled a cup for him. “Let me guess; those sweet ladies at the bar?”

“Yes…” Ixas sighed. “They did things with me no woman has done before. I was broken when we had to part.”

“I’m sure they’ll be glad to see you again. We’re staying here for at least 6 more days.” Acantha patted his shoulder as he drank the water.

“Yeah…” he sighed before he smiled to her. “You then? You seemed to get well along with Icarus.”

Something dropped on the floor in the bathroom, so Acantha quickly smiled to Ixas. “Yeah, you can say that. Just for the fun, though.”

“So you won’t try to bring with you a Spartan mancandy home to Argos?” Ixas teased.

“24 hours and one fuck is not nearly enough to decide if he holds the qualities I look for in a man.” Acantha raised an eyebrow. “Or have you already decided to marry one of the girls you met last night?”

“I’m considering a proposal.” Ixas grinned.

“Grow up, Ixas.” She smiled to him, and just then Draco came out of the bathroom and aimed for the pile of clothes that was his uniform. “Ready, Draco?”

“One minute.” He said and was back to his usual grump.

*

“So, slept well tonight?” Icarus asked Acantha as they were guarding the door where the two kings discussed their businesses.

“Very well, thank you.” She smiled, trying to focus on their task rather than speaking of nightly adventures. “I hope your night was good.”

“It really was.” He smiled to her. “Especially thanks to you.”

Acantha smiled and chuckled, trying to not say anything.

“Do I sense regrets?” he chuckled.

“Not at all, I’m just trying to be professional and focus at my job. The rest we can deal with later.” She smiled to him.

“Wow, you’re dedicated.”

“You didn’t notice that las night?” she grinned.

“Well, I did.” He nodded, trying to hold back a pleased smile.

“Good. Savour that memory till we’re off duty.” Acantha teased. Oh, she would love to have another taste of him.

“Do I sense a sequel?” he said low but with a teasing voice, quirking a brow at her.

“Shut up and think of what you’d like to do.” Acantha said strictly.

“Ah, maybe a bit of dominance?” he grinned at her strict request. She gave him a look and he realised he wouldn’t get a sequel if he didn’t take the hint. “Oh, better not trifle with that…!”

“Good.” She grinned.

The door opened, and Draco came out. “Switching with you Acantha, they request you in there. About Cyclades.”

“Sure.” She smiled to him and walked inside.

The door slammed shut behind her and Draco took her place. For a minute he stood there in silence, before Icarus broke it. “Dammit, she’s got attitude.”

“Thanks, I’ve noticed.” Draco said shortly.

“And what a firework!” Icarus chuckled. “Now I’ve only seen a little bit of it, but that was damn good. So what is she like, to be around?”

“She’s great, and certainly deserves to be viewed upon as more than a toy.” Draco said and glared at Icarus.

“Oh dammit, don’t come here and tell me you two are married or…?”

“No. We’re not.” Draco rolled his eyes. A part of him wanted to say yes, just to keep that guy away from her. Dammit, he was everything, it wasn’t fair. “But I do know her pretty well.”

“Ah, _that_ well?” Icarus said with lifted eyebrows.

“Yes.” Draco said and looked ahead.

“Then what is the best way to make her purr?” Icarus grinned.

“I’m really not going to talk about that with you right here at this moment.” Draco said low.

“Somebody’s afraid of competition.” Icarus said with a little pout.

“That somebody is trying act mature and do his job.” Draco mumbled.

“Oh that burned.”

*

“Acantha, you can’t be serious…” Draco sighed as she returned from somewhere, her braid messy, her face blushing and with some red marks on her neck and thigh that left little to the imagination.

“What?” she grinned and grabbed a cup of wine.

“You’ve been with Icarus _again_?” Draco sighed.

“How did you guess that?” she said with a slight surprise.

“No, just the state you returned in, and how he just entered the room, with a bite mark on the middle of that beefy chest and a grin that tells me that somebody just rocked his world.” he said with raised eyebrows.

“Oh… So what?” she smiled back. “A bloody good fuck.”

“I talked with him today after we changed posts, and… he… he…” Draco sighed. “He thinks of you as a toy! Something’s that’s just there for his fun!”

“Good, because then we have just the same intentions!” Acantha shrugged her shoulders. “He’s hot, he knows how to fuck, and a pretty damn face. Draco, be serious – this is one week in my entire life, and how on earth could I bring with a Spartan lieutenant home?”

Draco rolled his eyes and drank some wine.

“Dammit, we hilariously fucked each other on that table. I think I need to repeat that.” She grinned and drank some more wine.

“Glad to hear you are enjoying the hospitality of the locals.” Draco said with raised eyebrows.

“You’re jealous?” Acantha said with a slight smile.

“Why should I be?” he said and looked almost offended.

She got up with a playful laugh before she walked behind Draco’s chair and placed her hands on his shoulder, glad he wasn’t wearing the full armour. “Draco, there are many things I’d like to do with you.” She said low, her mouth close to his ear as her hands slid down his chest and belly.

“Is that so?” he said, trying to show interest, but most of anything, he felt slightly annoyed. Mostly because he didn’t even understand why it upset him that Icarus had been all over her.

“Yes.” She smiled, her hands on his hips now and her body so close to his that he felt the warmth from her. “If I ever were to handle two men at once again, you should definitely be among them.”

“And who should the other guy be?” he said low.

“Icarus. You two could make me the happiest woman in Sparta.” She said as she bit his earlobe.

Well. He had hoped there was other ways he could make her happy without involving that beef. He sighed as he got up from the chair and looked at Acantha. “I’m not sure if that is my kind of thing.” He said with a frown before he left.

Acantha rested her elbows on the chair, looking after him as he left. Dammit, was he that boring? She decided to go to bed and left the drinking lounge, and she was glad to find that neither Ixas nor Draco was in there, and she dropped down on her own bed. She was slightly annoyed with Draco’s refusal, but she had learned that the Argives weren’t as liberal as the Cycladians or the Spartans when it came to these things. She got her uniform and tunic off and crawled into bed, pulling the blanket up to her chin. Well, if anything, she still had her imagination.

With a smile she bit her lower lip as she slid a hand down to play with herself, as the images of her and her two hunks played so vividly in her mind. Oh, she had early figured out how to please herself, that almost went automatic, all she had to do, was to imagine something nice. And indeed she had many nice things to think of.

In her mind, Icarus was already going down on her, exploring every little detail about her, while Draco’s mouth searched for her breasts. Just the thought of Draco’s tongue on her sensitive nipples as Icarus rubbed her clit with his tongue could set her off, but not yet. She could almost feel how Icarus was preparing her with her finger, and Draco would now move up. Move up so that she could reach his cock and suck it. She could so clearly remember how he tastes, and it made her all wetter.

She gasped as she felt the weight change on the bed and Icarus’ hands grabbing her hips to lift her up on his lap and onto his shaft. A moan escaped her as she imagined how wonderful it would feel with Icarus starting to slowly penetrating her, before picking up a teasing pace, all the time while she still played with Draco. She couldn’t help but imagine their pleased smiles and groans as the act turned more intense, and she could hear herself moan on Icarus’ cock as she was riding Draco. She would come as Draco brutally pounded into her from behind while Icarus worked himself to his own climax, and she would swallow all his cum while Draco pulled out so his sperm could rain over her back.

Acantha arched her back as she came, lying all alone on her bed, but intensely satisfied by her own fantasy. She smiled as the pleased and peaceful feeling settled in her body, and she had almost drifted off to sleep as she realized something. She hadn’t tasted Icarus’ sperm. She needed to suck him off next time.

*

“Oh gods I am close…” Icarus whispered as he leant over her back, thrusting slowly after her climax.

Acantha smiled and pushed her butt backwards and straightened up so Icarus sat down on the bed, and she turned towards him with the most playful smile he had seen so far, before she kissed his belly and her way down to his cock. His gasp as her lips surrounded his throbbing cock was sweeter than nectar and she quickly found how to get him there. He moaned loudly as he came, and she eagerly swallowed every drop, enjoying the sight of his body trembling by the climax.

“Acantha, you are wild… Oh gods…” he whispered as she let him go.

“I’m barely being curious.” She smirked as she straightened up to kiss him. “And I found out what I wanted to.”

“And that was?” he chuckled.

“You’re bitter, a hint of salt.” She said as a matter of fact.

He grinned and kissed her again, his tongue searching hers. As he broke the kiss, he placed several kisses on her neck. “I like the taste of myself on your tongue, Cycladian.”

“Oh, the Spartan is talking dirty, I hear?” she murmured back.

“Come, let’s go to my working quarters.” He grinned.

“And what’s in there?” she asked with a playful smile.

“There’s a room, with a nice bed.” He quirked a brow to her.

“Damn, I won’t be able to walk by the time I leave Sparta.” Acantha giggled as she followed him.

“A good thing you have a horse then!”

“I’m not so sure about that…”

*

“Where is Acantha?” Ixas asked as he entered their bedroom.

Draco was already lying on the bed, repairing a shoe. “Probably off to fuck that lieutenant again.” He said plainly.

“What?” Ixas asked, slightly surprised. “She’s been running off with him for five days now!”

“I guess he stirs something. I don’t blame her, if I was a woman I’d probably lay flat for him.” Draco mumbled as he had to re-thread the needle.

“That’s true. Tall, wide shoulders, more muscles than the two of us combined, a charming personality and the face of a god. I shouldn’t be surprised.” Ixas shrugged his shoulders as he sat down on the bed and started to undress.

“Then why are you?” Draco said plainly.

“Well, one thing is that I would believe she would be sore after daily activities-“

“And twice a day if she get the chance…”

“-but what surprises me more, is that she’s so flat after him, when… well…” Ixas seemed uncomfortable.

“What? Spit it out!” Draco said with raised eyebrows.

“Well… we all know you two have seen each other over the past four months since the legendary fight, so… I kind of thought… That you two…”

Draco sighed loudly. “First Icarus seemed to think it, and now you?”

“Not only me, others too!” Ixas said to his defence.

“No, we’re not a couple. So she’s free to bed whoever she wants, whenever she wants and wherever she wants!” Draco stated.

“Yet you seem annoyed by it.” Ixas said nervously.

Draco sighed loudly again. His cousin-son knew him too well. “Fine, let me explain it to you, quite simple, and if you say anything of this to anybody, I’ll make sure you’ll never speak again.”

“I love it when you threaten to either cut my tongue off, or kill me. Go on.” Ixas said with a slight shrug. Draco glared at him, and Ixas smiled. That goofy idiot.

“So, imagine that you get close to somebody, you can have nice talks, you like this person very much, you know you can trust them with your life, and then there is the intimate part. Of course, nothing binding about it, but nice to have somebody that knows what you like and pleases you, and it’s nice to be able to do the same back. Are you with me?” Draco asked.

“So far, yes.” Ixas said and nodded.

“So then it’s simple to see why one could get annoyed when this other person suddenly is too busy with a newfound boytoy to even be social, both with me or others.” Draco sighed.

“I see…” Ixas said with a sigh, a thoughtful pout on his face.

“Thanks.” Draco said and put down the fixed shoe and laid down to sleep. Now, he did save that one nicely. Better to hide intense jealousy as slight disappointment and even make it a trustworthy cover-up. He dare say he was proud of his work there.


End file.
